Primula chasmophila I. B. Balfour ex Hutch., Bot. Mag. 145:t. 8791. 1919 . drawing
Section Soldanelloides
Link to Flora of Bhutan description
Type specimen: cult. from seeds of Cooper 4822 resides at KEW (specimen K000772805).
Additional Reference: R.E. Cooper, "Botanical Tours in Bhutan, with Special Reference to the Occurence of the Genus Primula." Notes RBG Edin. 18:67. 1933.
Epithet: Named for : grows on rocks.
Distribution: Bhutan
This lovely species is endemic to Bhutan. Described from a cultivated collection grown from seed gathered by Cooper between the peaks of Joedawnchi, the local name for Dunshinggang (Black Mountain), Bhutan. This peak is now part of Jigme Singye Wangchuk National Park. As this is a Bhutanese holy place, access is limited to the foothills area of the park so that it is unlikely we will see this species again soon. It has a similarity to P. umbratilis and P. sandemaniana but is distinguished by the later by being efarinose and the former by the deep violet corolla. Leaves are oblong, rounded at the apex, with a narrow winged petiole and a pinnately lobulate margin. Leaves, scape, calyx and outside of tube are puberulous. Flowers are deep violet with a red or red-purple eye and the lobes are dived to the middle into uneaqual parts and maybe entire or toothed at the apex.
