Flora of North America species comparison

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Primula suffrutescens

Primula capillaris

Sierra primrose, Sierran primrose

Ruby Mountain primrose, Ruby Mountains primrose
Habit Plants evergreen, semiwoody, (mat-forming, leaves densely marcescent along stem base), 5–15 cm; rhizomes stout, long; rosettes multiple, forming mats, in apical clusters arising off stems; vegetative parts efarinose but often glandular. Plants 1.5–5(–6) cm, herbaceous; rhizomes short, stout; rosettes not clumped; vegetative parts efarinose.
Leaves

not aromatic, indistinctly petiolate;

petiole winged;

blade without deep reticulate veins abaxially, cuneate-spatulate, 4 × 0.5–1 cm, succulent, margins crenate to dentate with 6–8 teeth, apex obtuse, surfaces glabrous.

not aromatic, indistinctly petiolate;

petiole narrowly winged;

blade without deep reticulate veins abaxially, linear-oblanceolate, 1–6 × 0.1–0.5 cm, thick, margins entire, apex rounded, surfaces glabrous.
Inflorescences

2–9-flowered;

involucral bracts plane at base, unequal.

1(–2)-flowered;

involucral bracts plane, unequal.
Pedicels

erect, thin, 4–12 mm, length 2–4 times bracts, stiff.

erect, thin, 2–12 mm, length ca. 1–2 times bracts, flexuous.
Flowers

heterostylous;

calyx green, urceolate, 4–8 mm;

corolla rose-pink, tube 6–10 mm, length 2 times calyx, glandular, limb 10–20 mm diam., lobes 5–10 mm, apex emarginate.

heterostylous;

calyx green, narrowly campanulate, 4–8 mm;

corolla magenta-violet with bluish tinge, tube 5–8 mm, length 0.9–1.2 times calyx, eglandular basally, sparsely glandular distally, limb 5–8 mm diam., lobes 2–4 mm, apex emarginate.
Capsules

globose, length 0.7–0.8 times calyx.

cylindric, length 1 times calyx.
Seeds

with flanged edges, reticulate.

unknown.
2n

= 44.

Primula suffrutescens

Primula capillaris
Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering summer.
Habitat Rocky alpine slopes in weathered granite soils and rock fissures Turf mats in wetland margin areas on soils derived from glacial till
Elevation 3300+ m (10800+ ft) 2700-3200 m (8900-10500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NV
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Primula suffrutescens is unusual in the genus, and unique among North American representatives, in forming mats with semiwoody stems carrying withered remains of old leaves on the lower portions of the stems, and evergreen leaf clusters on the distal portions.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Of conservation concern.

Primula capillaris is narrowly distributed in the alpine tundra of the Ruby Mountains in northern Nevada. It resembles P. angustifolia; it differs in its narrow, upright leaves and smaller flowers with a bluish tint. The plants are the smallest among the species in sect. Parryi and are related to the widespread polymorphic P. cusickiana. Unlike the infraspecific varieties of P. cusickiana, P. capillaris is a morphologically well-differentiated taxon marked by its diminutive, delicate appearance and characteristic leaf shape.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 8, p. 298. FNA vol. 8, p. 298.
Parent taxa Primulaceae > Primula Primulaceae > Primula
Sibling taxa
P. alcalina, P. angustifolia, P. anvilensis, P. borealis, P. capillaris, P. cuneifolia, P. cusickiana, P. egaliksensis, P. incana, P. laurentiana, P. mistassinica, P. nutans, P. parryi, P. pumila, P. rusbyi, P. specuicola, P. stricta, P. tschuktschorum, P. veris
P. alcalina, P. angustifolia, P. anvilensis, P. borealis, P. cuneifolia, P. cusickiana, P. egaliksensis, P. incana, P. laurentiana, P. mistassinica, P. nutans, P. parryi, P. pumila, P. rusbyi, P. specuicola, P. stricta, P. suffrutescens, P. tschuktschorum, P. veris
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 7: 371. 1868 , N. H. Holmgren & A. H. Holmgren: Brittonia 26: 313, fig. 3. 1974 ,
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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