Primula barbicalyx C.H.Wright, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1896(109): 24.
Section Obconicolisteri
Link to Flora of China description
Type specimen: W. Hancock 109 resides at KEW (specimen (holotype) K000750166) and Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (specimen E00024267) and Paris (specimen P04571453).
P. obconica Hance subsp. barbicalyx (C.H.Wright) (syn): W.W.Sm., Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh. 16: 33. 1928.
Epithet: Named for the articulate hairs on the calyx, especially at the base.
Distribution: SE Yunnan.
This little known dwarf species is related to Primula obconica and sometimes considered a subspecies of it. It was found near Mongtze (Honghe) in SE Yunnan on limestone crags at 8700ft. It was compared to P. listeri in the original description, but differs from that by geography, leaf shape, venation, and the heteromorphic flowers. Differs from P. obconica in the very short scape - nestled in the foliage and only slightly longer than the pedicels. Primula barbicalyx is efarinose, hairy all over, leaves membranous, petiolate, broadly ovate, rounded at the apex, cordate at the base, sinuate-dentate at the margin, pubescent above and pilose below especially on the veins, venation pinnate. Scape is shorter than the leaves, hairy, holds 2-8 pale lilac exannulate flowers. Calyx camanulate, cut to a third into broadly triangular acute lobes, articulate-hairy, especially at the base. Collections near Szemao (Pu'er) are also said to be this species but have a longer scape and require further study.
