Part 130 - Notes on Primula species and possible synonymy

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SUMMARY:
The author reviews Primula specimens and suggests several may be conspecific: P. morsheadiana with P. prenantha (referencing specimen no. 2396 from the Kashongla), P. littledalei with P. baileyana, and P. pulchella with P. pulchelloides. Habitat differences and high elevation are noted as likely causes of size variation.

CONTENT:
65a

PRIMULAS.

I have not seen all the collection together, but it appears that some species are not very good. Primula Morsheadiana seems to be the same as Prim. prenantha, if my No 2396(?) from the Kashongla is P. prenantha, as it was identified. Primula littledalei and P. Baileyana may be the same thing, and would appear to be so, if we have them both. One can certainly get these primulas from very different habitats: P. Baileyana from inside the drier zone, and P. littledalei from rock boulder scree. But the only difference in the two appears to be in their size, and that from rock boulder scree at 15000' would naturally be smaller than the one from the forest. Although we have not seen much of P. pulchella, what we have leads us to think that P. pulchella and P. pulchelloides may be the same plant.