报春花 bao chun hua

Primula delicata Petitmengin; P. forbesii Franchet subsp. delicata (Petitmengin) W. W. Smith & Forrest; P. malacoides Franchet subsp. pseudomalacoides (L. B. Stewart) W. W. Smith & Forrest; P. pseudomalacoides L. B. Stewart.

Herbs biennial, usually ± farinose. Leaves numerous; petiole 2--15 cm, pilose, succulent; leaf blade ovate to elliptic or oblong-elliptic, 3--10 X 2--8 cm, abaxially pubescent along veins or subglabrous, efarinose or sometimes sprinkled with white farina, adaxially sparsely pilose or nearly glabrous, base cordate to truncate, margin crenate-lobulate with 6--8 pairs of denticulate lobules, apex rounded. Scapes 1 to many, 10--40 cm, pilose or becoming glabrous, efarinose or slightly white farinose; umbels (1 or)2--6, superimposed, 4--20-flowered; bracts linear to linear-lanceolate, 3--8 mm, farinose or efarinose. Pedicel 1.5--4 cm. Flowers heterostylous. Calyx campanulate, 3--7 mm, slightly enlarging in fruit, usually cream-white farinose, parted to middle; lobes triangular, apex acute. Corolla rose or lavender; tube 4--6 mm; limb 0.5--1.5 cm wide; lobes broadly obovate, deeply 2-lobed. Pin flowers: corolla tube ca. as long as calyx; stamens 1.5--2 mm above base of corolla tube; style ca. as long as tube. Thrum flowers: corolla tube ca. 1.5 X as long as calyx; stamens slightly above middle of corolla tube; style ca. 1 mm. Capsule globose, ca. 3 mm in diam. Fl. Feb-May, fr. Mar-Jun. 2n = 18@, 22@, 24@, 36@, 66@.

* Wet areas near cultivated fields, ditches, forest margins; 1800--3000 m. W Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan

This species is widely cultivated as a beautiful potted plant. It was introduced to Europe in 1896 and since then, many horticultural forms have been produced.