Primulaceae

P. algida Adams in Weber & Mohr, Beitr. 1:46 (1805); Smith & Fletcher in Trans. Roy. Soc. Edinb. 61:6-7 (1943). Syn: P. hookeri Freyn & Sint. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. 4:142 (1896)! Ic: Fl. URSS 18: t. 6 f. 6-6a (1952).
Farinose or efarinose, otherwise glabrous perennial,' 2.5-21 cm. Leaves 1.0-9.5 x 0.3-2.0 cm, oblong-elliptic, obovate or oblanceolate, tapering below, scarcely petioled, margin usually finely denticulate. Inflorescence umbellate, 4-many-flowered. Bracts usually longer than pedicels, ± linear-lanceolate, often spreading and eventually reflexed. Pedicels l-6(-15) mm, unequal. Calyx 4-8 mm, cylindrical-campanulate, divided to about ½ into oblong to triangular lobes. Corolla tube ± equal to calyx, lobes 3-6 mm, deeply bilobed, lilac-pink to deep mauve. Capsule oblong, somewhat shorter than to slightly exceeding calyx. Fl. 5-8. Rock ledges, mossy banks, wet pastures, 2000-3600 m.
Described from the Caucasus.
N.E. & E. Anatolia. A7 Gümüşane: Chromdagh (Korum Da.), Sint. 1894:5848 (type of P. hookeri)! A8 Gümüşane: Gümüşane to Bayburt, Kavakaya Da., 3303 m, Balls 1816! Rize: d. Ikizdere, Cermanin Tepe, 3100 m, D. 21061! Çoruh: Tiryal Da. above Murgul, 2300 m, D. 29956! Erzurum: Koçunboğazin pass, S. of Ispir, 2850 m, Barclay 890! A9 Kars: Posof to Hanak, 2500-2700 m, Beyazoğlu 22! B8 Erzurum: Palandöken Da., 3000 m, Beyazoğlu 19! B9 Ağri: Hudavendigar Tepe, Ala Da. massif from Diyadin, 2300-3450 m, Watson et al. 3072! Van: Çuh pass between Hoşap and Başkale, 3000 m, Rix 1968! B10 Kars: N.E. slope of Ağri Da. nr Serdar Bulak, 2500 m, D. 43720! C9 Hakkari: Kara Da., 3290 m, D. 24480! C10 Hakkari: Mor Da., 2600-3500 m, Watson et al. 3011!
N. Iraq, Caucasia, N. Iran, Afghanistan, C. Asia. Previous accounts of P. algida have often stressed that the bracts are reflexed, especially at fruiting stage; this is not always true. The record of P. farinifolia Rupr. from Ağri Da., 1 viii 1956, de Lessé ! (Bull. Soc. Bot. Fr. 104:302, 1957) is a misidentification of P. algida. Species insufficiently known Sp. A Perennial, 40 cm, with glabrous rootstock bearing thick roots and scale leaves. Leaves 9-13 x 1 .2-1.5 cm, lamina narrowly obovate to elliptic, base gradually narrowed into winged petiole, margin bluntly denticulate. Inflorescence umbellate, c. 13-flowered, slightly farinaceous. Bracts 8-15 mm, triangular-acuminate to elliptic, largest almost leafy. Pedicels 15-25 mm. Calyx 5-6 mm, campanulate, divided to ½-⅔ into narrow-triangular lobes. Corolla 8-10 mm, tube shorter than calyx, lobes obovate to oblong, bilobed, apparently pale yellowish. Capsule (immature) as long as corolla tube. E. Anatolia. B7 Erzincan: Sipikör, damp places, 9 viii 1890, Sint. (LD!).
The specimen cited was determined by Sintenis as 'P. algida monstros'. In addition to height and leaf size, it differs from that species in its long pedicels and in the apparently yellow flowers. It must belong to either section Aleuritia or to section Oreophlomis Rupr. of subgenus Aleuritia. More material from the area is required before its status can be established.