Primula vaginata G. Watt, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 20: 4. 1882.
Section Cortusoides
Link to Flora of China description
Link to Flora of Bhutan description
Type specimen: C. B. Clarke 27784 (lectotype designated by Smith & Fletcher as 27774 is a typo) resides at KEW (specimen K000750314) and isolectotype resides at CAL.
P. eucyclia (syn): W.W. Smith & Forrest, Notes RBG Edinb. 14:41, 1923. Type specimen: Forrest 21632 (lectotype designated by Smith & Fletcher) resides at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh herbarium (specimens E00024417, E00024418) and KEW (specimen K000732833) and Smithsonian (specimen US00116472) and Paris (specimen P04588097) and British Museum (specimen BM000996817).
P. normaniana (syn): Kingdon-Ward, Annals of Botany 44:123, 1930. Type specimen: Kingdon-Ward 8295 resides at resides at Kew (specimen K000750412) and Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh herbarium (specimen E00024422).
P. vaginata G. Watt subsp. vaginata: F.H.Chen & C.M.Hu, Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 59(2): 35. 1990.
P. vaginata G. Watt subsp. eucyclia (W.W.Sm. & Forrest) : F.H.Chen & C.M.Hu, Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 59(2): 36. 1990.
P. vaginata G. Watt subsp. normaniana (Kingdon-Ward) : F.H.Chen & C.M.Hu, Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 59(2): 36. 1990.
Epithet: Named for the vaginate base of the leaf petiole.
Distribution: Sikkim, Bhutan, NE India, Tibet, Yunnan to N Myanmar.
P. vaginata is characterized by inflated (vaginate) bases to the leaf petiole. P. vaginata is currently described as having three subspecies: P. vaginata subsp. vaginata, P. vaginata subsp. eucyclia and P. vaginata subsp. normaniana. P. vaginata subsp. vaginata was found in Sikkim and the other two subspecies much further to the East. P. vaginata subsp. eucyclia is described as being mat forming, with fewer (usually 2), but larger flowers (see last 4 images), and P. vaginata subsp. normaniana is described as being creeping with even larger flowers, crimson instead of violet flowers, shorter pedicels and flower heads much larger on longer scapes to 30cm. The collection Kingdon-Ward 8573 has be incorrectly labelled a syntype along with Kingdon-Ward 8295 for P. normaniana. This is an error as only Kingdon-Ward 8295 is listed in the protologue. If you have images of this species from Sikkim or Myanmar, please contact the webmaster.
