the Primrose; a genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the pentandria class of plants. This genus, including also the polyanthus and auricula, furnishes an excellent collection of low, fibrous-rooted, herbaceous flowery perennials.
1. The primula veris, or spring primrose, has thick, and very fibrous roots, crowned by a cluster of large oblong indented rough leaves, and numerous flower-stalks, from about three or four, to five or six inches high; each terminated commonly by one flower.—The varieties are, common yellow-flowered primrose of the woods—white primrose—paper-white—red—double red—double yellow, and double white.—All these flower abundantly in March and April, and continue for a month or six weeks.
The cowslip primrose, or cowslip, has very thick fibrous roots, crowned by a cluster of oblong, indented round leaves, and upright, firm, flower-stalks five or six inches high; terminated each by a cluster of small flowers. The varieties are, Common single yellow cowslip of the meadows—double yellow cowslip—scarlet cowslip—hose-and-hose cowslip; one flower growing out of the bottom of another, the lowermost serving as a calyx; all of which varieties have the flower-stalks crowned by many flowers in branches.—They flower in April and May, continuing in succession a month or six weeks.
2. The polyanthus has thick fibrous roots, increasing into large bunches, crowned with a cluster of large oblong indented rough leaves; amidst them upright flower-stalks six or eight inches high, terminated mostly by a cluster of several spreading flowers of many different colours in the varieties. The principal are, purple, red, gold, orange-coloured, &c. They all flower beautifully in April and May, and frequently again in autumn; and sometimes even in winter, if the season is mild. The polyanthus is one of the noted prize-flowers among the florists; many of whom are remarkably industrious in raising a considerable variety of different sorts, as well as in using every art to blow them with all requisite perfection; for, among the virtues, a polyanthus must possess several peculiar properties in order to be admitted in their collections.
The chief properties required in a florist's polyanthus are, 1. The stem or flower-stalk shall be upright, moderately tall, with strength in proportion, and crowned by a good regular bunch of flowers on short pedicles, strong enough to support them nearly in an upright position. 2. The florets of each branch should be equally large, spreading open flat, with the colours exquisite, and the stripes and variegations lively and regular. 3. The eye in the centre of each floret should be large, regular, and bright; and the antheræ, by the florists called the thrum, should rise high enough to cover the mouth of the tube or hollow part in the middle of the florets, and render them what they call thrum-eyed; but when the style elevates the stigma above the antheræ, the eye of the tube generally appears hollow, showing the stigma in the middle, like the head of a pin, and is rejected as an incomplete flower, though its other properties should be ever so perfect. This pin-eyed polyanthus, however, though rejected by the florists, is the flower in its most perfect state, and great numbers of them are of as beautiful forms and colours as the thrum-eyed varieties.
3. The auricula has a thick fibrous root, crowned by a cluster of oblong, fleshy, broad, serrated, smooth leaves, resembling the shape of a bear's ear; and amidst them upright flower-stalks from about three or four to six or eight inches high, terminated by an umbellate cluster of beautiful flowers, of many different colours in the varieties. All of these have a circular eye in the middle of each flower, and of which there are different colours, whence the auriculas are distinguished into yellow-eyed, white-eyed, &c. The petals of most of the kinds are powdered with an exceeding fine farina or mealy powder, which contributes greatly to the beauty of the flower. They all flower in April or May, continuing a month or six weeks in beauty, and ripening plenty of seeds in June.
Culture. All the varieties of the common spring primrose multiply so fast by the roots, that it is scarce worth while to raise them from seed. However, tho' many single kinds may be raised from seed, yet parting the roots is the only method by which the double kind can be preserved; and the same thing is to be observed of all the rest.