Primula americana Rydb.

  • Authority

    New York Botanical Garden. Herbarium of Dr. Per Axel Rydberg. Purchased, 1899. Contributions from the New York Botanical Garden.

  • Family

    Primulaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Primula americana Rydb.

  • Description

    Species Description - Perennial with a short rootstock and fleshy-fibrous roots. Basal leaves oblong or oblong-oblanceolate or spatulate, 2-8 cm. long, obtuse, gradually contracted at the base, usually with short winged petioles, sinuate dentate above the middle or subentire, thin, more or less mealy, especially on the lower surface: scape 1-2 dm. high, mealy when young: bracts 6-10 mm. long, linear lanceolate, usually acute: pedicels in flower little if any exceeding the bracts, in fruit sometimes 2 cm. long, erect from the beginning: calyx more or less mealy, 6-8 mm. long, lobes oblong-obtuse: corolla lilac; tube 8-9 mm. long, only slightly exceeding the calyx; lobes of the corolla obcordate, 2-3 mm. long.

  • Discussion

    This species has been confused with P. farinosa, but I think it distinct. All specimens from the Rocky Mountain region under that name differ from the European and especially the Scandinavian P. farinosa in the longer bracts, in the longer calyx and in the short corolla lobes. The specimens of northeastern America seem to be like the European plant. In the latter the bracts arconly 4-6 mm. long, acuminate, the calyx less than three fourths the length of the tube of the corolla and the lobes of the latter 4-5 mm. long. P. Americana grows, in swamps and wet meadows of the Rocky Mountain region at an altitude of 1200-2500 m.

    Montana: Deer Lodge, 1895, P. A. Rydberg, 2746 (type).

    Wyoming: Little Laramie River, 1896 Aven Nelson, 1961 ; Hams Fork and La Barge, 1900, C. C. Curtis.

    Alberta: Devil's Head Lake, Banff, 1899, W.C. McCalla, 2422.

    Colorado: North Park, 1896, Go. E. Osterhout.

  • Distribution

    Montana, Wyoming, Alberta, Colorado.

    Montana United States of America North America| Wyoming United States of America North America| Alberta Canada North America| Colorado United States of America North America|