Plant Gardens 101

Primrose family
Primulaceae
Prim’you-la. Primrose . A large genus of over 400 species of low-growing, herbaceous plants of the northern hemisphere, found mostly in alpine and cool localities.

Description
Stems short or none. Leaves crowded, stalked, long and narrow, or roundish or tufted, the midrib generally prominent on underside. Flowers on leafless stalks, sometimes with leafy bracts, solitary, or in loose umbels, in whorled tiers, or in rounded heads. Flowers yellow, white, red, blue, pink, or purple. Calyx of 5 sepals, joined halfway, usually slightly inflated, generally pale green. Corolla of 5 lobes, tubular at the base. Stamens 5, not protruding.

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Primrose family
Primulaceae
A-na-gal’lis. The pimpernels are rather weedy, mostly prostrate herbs comprising perhaps 40 widely distributed species, only 2 of which are of garden interest.

Description
Leaves opposite or in whorls, without marginal teeth. Flowers small, mostly solitary in leaf axils, short-stalked, the corolla bell-shaped, its 5 lobes somewhat spreading.

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Primrose family
Primulaceae
An-dros’a-see. Rock Jasmine . A large genus of herbs, many grown in rock gardens.

Description
They are low, often tufted, plants, nearly all with small basal leaves, often in rosettes. Flowers resemble a miniature primrose, but the corolla constricted at the throat.

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