Primula filipes G.Watt
Section Obconicolisteri
Flora of Bhutan
Link to Nepal checklist
Type specimen: Griffith "Bhotan: on rocks near Chuka, alt 6500ft" resides at K (specimen K000750257) and BM (specimen BM000996877) and E (specimen E00024820).
Androsace cordifolia Wall. (syn) Type specimen: Wallich s.n. , Nepal resides at BM (specimens BM000996878, BM000521876 ).
Primula wallichiana Kuntze (syn)
Additional reading: Smith, W.W., Notes RBGE Volume 18, 1935." What is Primula Wallichiana O. Ktze.?"
Epithet: Named for
Distribution: Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur
There is some confusion as to the Griffith collection number, given as East India Comp[any no. 3521 on the Kew sheet but the collection locality says "To Chuka on rocks" and a note references no. 396 which is from Khegumpa. Griffith's plant went undescribed for 50 years, but 20 years prior to his collection, Wallich collected and described it as Androsace cordifolia from Nepal. This is an efarinose, delicate species with thin textured leaves, ovate, rounded at the apex, rounded or cordate at the base, and undulate or remotely denticulate on the margin. The upper leaf surface is covered in in white septate hairs and the lower surface with reddish septate hairs on the veins. The habit is somewhat creeping and a thick woody rhizome is apparent. Scape is hairy, with 4-10 pale pink , exannulate, monomorphic flowers with a greenish-yellow eye. Bracts linear, hairy, calyx campanulate, hairy cut to a third into broadly ovate acute or obtuse lobes. Capsule is globose and included in the calyx. See related P. listeri, P. obconica, P. parva, P. barbicalyx. If you have an image showing the stolons, or rhizome please contact the webmaster. The Chinese species, P. forbesii, is given as a synonym of P. filipes by Basak, S.K., Maiti, G. & Hajra, P.K., 2014 but I do not agree with this.
