Primula griffithii Pax
Section Petiolares, Subsection Griffithii
Link to Flora of China description
Link to Flora of Bhutan description
Type specimen: Griffith 3511, 2316 (1837 Bhutan) resides at KEW (specimens K000750221, K000750222) and Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (specimen E00024680) and BM (specimen BM000996871).
P. obtusifolia Royle var. griffithii: Watt, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 20:8. 1884., Tab. 5. Type specimen: J.D.Hooker s.n. 1849 (Sikkim) resides at CAL? and Griffith 3511, 2316 (1837 Bhutan) resides at KEW (specimens K000750221, K000750222) and Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (specimen E00024680) and BM (specimen BM000996871).
Epithet: Named for William Griffith.
Distribution: Bhutan, Tibet (Chumbi).
Easily confused with P. calderiana, especially early in the season, but flowers are blue toned (rather than red toned) and leaves are sharply pointed. This is a robust species with a large resting bud, covered in yellowish farina. Leaves are broadly ovate with a tapering base early, the petiole becoming more distinct (though winged) and the base subcordate as the season progresses. The scape is 10-20cm, elongating to 45cm in fruit, farinose at the apex, with an umbel of 5-15 dark purple-blue flowers with a yellow eye. Bracts triangular to lanceolate, acute. Calyx campanulate, thickly farinose, divided to 1/3 into triangular or obtuse teeth. Capsule typical for Section Petiolares, being globose and included in the calyx, covered in a membrane which crumbles at maturity. Vegetative buds are sometimes produced at the apex of the scape at late flowering or fruiting time. Often seen at Chele La, Bhutan.
