Primula umbrella Forrest, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh. 9:51. 1915.
Section Yunnanensis
Link to Flora of China description (as P. maikhaensis)
Type specimen: Cult. from seeds of Forrest s.n. 1910 resides at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (specimen E00024780).
P. maikhaensis (syn): Balfour f. & Forrest, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh. 13: 13. 1920. Type specimen: Forrest 18094 resides at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (specimen E00024151, E00024152) and US National Herbarium (specimen US00345359) and KEW (specimen K000750045) and Paris (specimen P04544296).
Distribution: Yunnan and Sichuan, China
P. umbrella was described from plants cultivated from a seed collection of P. membranifolia. It is distinguished by bracts which radiate from the top of the scape, each forming a channel in which the pedicel lies (forming an upside down umbrella shape). The lone herbarium specimen of P. umbrella is a cultivated plant and as such looks similar to P. yunnanensis but when taken with other evidence, especially the verification of Smith and Forrest who were acquainted with plants in cultivation and the wild, it is a distinct species. Smith and Forrest further decided that P. maikhaensis which was described later was a synonym of P. umbrella. The Flora of China equates P. umbrella with P. yunnanensis making it a synonym and so P. maikhaensis is listed as a distinct species. P. umbrella has recently been found in Sichuan, extending its range.
