P. petiolaris Wall.
Section Petiolares
Link to Nepal checklist
Type specimen: Wallich 603, 603A resides at E (specimen E00024631) and many other specimens at BM, BR, CAL, E, G, HBG, K, M, P, PH and S.
P. petiolaris var. petiolaris proper Hook.f. (syn): Fl. Brit. India [J. D. Hooker] 3:493. 1882.
P. petiolaris var. eupetiolaris Pax (syn): Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 10:174. 1889. and see drawing Pflanzenr. (Engler) Primul. 40. 1905.
P. tridentata D.Don. (syn): pro parte.
P. cushia Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don (syn): manuscript name.
P. squamosa Klatt ex Pax (syn): manuscript name.
Epithet: Named for the long, slender petioles.
Distribution: Nepal.
First collected in Nepal, this species has been misunderstood since the late 1800's. Many other species were at one time included under this name (P. nana, P. scapigera, P. sessilis, etc.) and several herbarium sheets are of mixed species, which created a false impression that persists to today. Wallich considered it a common species in Nepal, but it blooms very early (even as early as January) and seems to come from relatively lower elevations (1800m - 2500m), so it is not commonly met by todays trekkers. Primula petiolaris is efarinose, without basal bud-scales, and has dimorphic leaves. The inner leaves are spathulate to oblong-spathulate, rounded at the apex, with an almost obsolete, broadly winged petiole and with an undulating denticulate margin. The outer leaves are ovate, obuse or rounded at the apex, truncate to cuneate at the base, with a shallowly denticulate and undulate margin, and a notably long petiole (2-3 times the blade). Both leaf types are present at flowering. The scape is obsolete, calyx cut to the middle into lanceolate acuminate teeth. Corolla is pink with a yellow eye that is surrounded by a thin band of white and with lobes irregularly toothed (often tridentate) at the apex.
