A perennial 16-36 cm tall with a short rhizome. Leaves 8.5-22.5 x 0.5-2.3 cm, lanceolate to oblanceolate, ± firm, entire to denticulate or crenulate, often with white farina on the margin on the under surface; lateral nerves faint, base attenuate. Petiole winged. Scape 12-23 cm long, up to 31 cm in fruit, glabrous, puberulous just below the inflorescence, 11-20-flowered. Bracts 1.2-1.7 cm long, minutely pubescent, often blackish (in dried state). Pedicel exceeding the bracts, up to 4.2 cm long in fruit, puberulous. Flowers heteromorphic, yellow. Calyx 8-10 mm long, campanulate-tubular, ½ cleft, sometimes white farinose within; lobes 5-6 mm long, lanceolate, dark coloured, minutely pubescent. Corolla tube 10-12 mm long, c. 1½ times the calyx length; limb 18-21 mm broad, throat barely annulate, lobes entire to subentire, oblong-ovate to suborbicular, 6.5-8 mm long. Anthers narrow oblong. Ovary subglobose, style 2.5-3.5 mm long (in thrum-eyed flowers) to 8 mm. Capsule -cylindric, 11.5-18 mm long, exceeding the calyx. Seeds. subglobose to ovaloid, 1.5-2 mm long, brownish, papillose.

Fl. Per.: July-August.

Lectotype: Chapri, 18.7.1899, Inayat 21979 (K ! iso. E !).

Distribution: N.W. Himalaya.

Balfour and Smith (op. cit.) along with the original diagnoses cite 12 syntypes-of which Inayat 21979 is proposed as the lectotype. This gathering was previously designed as cotype by Smith & Fletcher (1942, p. 580). As a holotype was not designated, it seems that they used the term ‘cotype’ as equivalent to one of the syntypes.

The species is closely related to Primula macrophylla which however differs in having farina uniformly distributed on the leaf under-surface (not marginally), purple to purple-mauve flowers and a wider distributional range. Found from 3500-4300 m along rivulets and open places. The flower colour varies from yellow to cream-yellow. They are scented and often in superposed whorls.