Primula veris
Primula egaliksensis
cowslip primrose
Greenland primrose, primevère du fjord egalik
not aromatic, indistinctly or abruptly petiolate;
petiole winged;
blade with deep reticulate veins abaxially, ovate to ovate-oblong, 5–20 × 2–6 cm, thin, membranaceous in age, margins coarsely toothed, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces pubescent, hairs simple.
not aromatic, abruptly petiolate;
petiole not winged;
blade without deep reticulate veins abaxially, elliptic, 1.5–5.5 × 0.5–0.9 cm, thin, margins entire, undulate, or slightly denticulate, apex rounded, surfaces glabrous.
5–16-flowered;
involucral bracts plane, unequal.
1–3(–6)-flowered;
involucral bracts gibbous but not auriculate, ± equal.
erect to drooping, moderately thick, 3–20 mm, length 1–3 times bracts, flexuous.
nodding, thin, 2–9 mm, length 1–3 times bracts, flexuous.
heterostylous;
calyx pale green, broadly campanulate, 0.8–2 cm;
corolla yellow, with orange spots at base of lobes, tube 8–20 mm, length to 1 times calyx, eglandular, limb 8–28 mm diam., lobes 8–14 mm, apex slightly emarginate to distinctly notched.
homostylous;
calyx green or with purple stripes, cylindric, 4–6 mm;
corolla white or lavender, tube 6–8 mm, length 1–1.2 times calyx, eglandular, limb 6–8 mm diam., lobes 3–4 mm, apex slightly emarginate.
ovoid, length to 1 times calyx.
narrowly cylindric, length 1.5–2 times calyx.
without flanged edges, minutely vesiculate.
without flanged edges, reticulate.
= 22 (Europe).
= 36, ca. 40.
Primula veris
Primula egaliksensis
Primula veris shows exceptional morphological variation in Europe, with multiple specific and infraspecific names. It is a popular garden plant both here and in Europe; horticultural varieties abound and are almost certainly represented among the records from North America.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Primula egaliksensis is distinguished by its relatively few-flowered inflorescence of homostylous flowers; violet (forma violacea Fernald) and white corollas are equally common and sometimes occur together within populations. Early treatments of the arctic flora confused P. egaliksensis with other species, notably P. stricta. The names P. farinosa var. groenlandica Pax and P. sibirica in the sense of Hooker (not Jacquin) refer in part to P. egaliksensis.
Morphologic and genetic evidence (A. Guggisberg et al. 2006) indicates that Primula egaliksensis is a hybrid between sects. Aleuritia and Armerina, with probable parents being P. nutans and P. mistassinica or an ancestral form of that species. The rounded, petiolate leaves and narrow capsules ally it strongly to sect. Armerina, and it has traditionally been placed in that section. Primula egaliksensis has frequently been confused with P. nutans; it differs in its smaller, homostylous flowers and the absence of auriculate bracts.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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