Primula whitei W.W.Sm., Rec. Bot. Surv. India iv. 268 (1911).
Section Petiolares
Link to Flora of China description
Link to Flora of Bhutan description
Type specimen: J.C. White 122 resides at E (specimens E00024571, E00024821) and K (specimen K000750246).
Epithet: Named for the collector J.C. White.
Distribution: Bhutan.
See blog post: Primula whitei or Primula bhutanica?
Originally discovered on the Pile La (Pele), Bhutan, this species has a winter resting bud with the bud scales persisting at flowering. In flower, leaves elliptic, oblong-elliptic to spathulate, rounded at the apex and tapering into a winged petiole which maybe almost obsolete, then in fruit, leaves larger but not developing a distinct petiole. Scape short with few to many blue to pale bluish-violet flowers with regularly crenulate lobes. Calyx campanulate, cut to the middle into ovate-oblong lobes which are fimbriate at the apex. Sometimes the species Primula bhutanica is included as a synonym, but the evidence to do so is incomplete (see under P. bhutanica). If you have more images of this species, especially the calyx and later leaves, please contact the webmaster.
