Primula elatior, (L.) Hill

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1972, Flora Europaea. Volume 3. Diapensiacea to Myoporaceae, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press : 16

2. P. elatior (L.) Hill , Veg. Syst. 8: 25 (1765).

Leaves 5-20 x 2-7 cm, in a lax rosette, suborbicular to oblong or elliptical, usually widest at about the middle, abruptly contracted or gradually narrowed into the long, winged, hairy petiole but not cordate, crenate to denticulate to entire, pubescent or glabrescent above, grey-green and sparsely hairy or tomentose or glabrous beneath. Scape 10-30 cm, usually hairy. Umbel secund; bracts 3-11 mm, linear to ovate; pedicels 5-20 mm. Calyx 6-15 mm, lobes lanceolate or triangular, acuminate. Corolla 15-25 mm in diameter, yellow, sometimes orange at throat. Capsule cylindrical or tapering, usually exceeding calyx. Seeds dry, without caruncle. Meadows and woods. S., W. & C. Europe, extending northwards to N. Denmark and eastwards to C. Ukraine. Al Au Be Br Bu Cz Da Ga Ge He Ho Hs Hu It Ju Po Rm Rs (C, W), Su [Fe No].

5 subspecies, largely allopatric, may be distinguished.

1 Leaves glabrous (e) subsp. pallasii 1 Leaves ± hairy

2 Leavesgrey-tomentosebeneath; calyx6 -8mm

(b) subsp. leucophylla

2 Leaves± pubescentbeneath;calyx usuallymorethan8 mm

3 Leaves abruptly contracted into petiole; capsule tapering slightly (a) subsp. elatior

3 Leaves gradually narrowing into petiole; capsule tapering markedly

4 Corolla pale yellow; leaves slightly rugose (c) subsp. intricata

4 Corolla yellow; leaves rugose (d) subsp. lofthousei