Primula calderiana I. B. Balf. & R. E. Cooper

Herbs perennial, strongly scented. Basal bud scales ovate to ovate-lanceolate, to 4 cm, yellow farinose. Petiole broadly winged, nearly as long as leaf blade; leaf blade oblong to subspatulate or oblanceolate, 5--20(--30) X 1--3.5(--6) cm, efarinose or sparsely pale yellow farinose abaxially, base attenuate, margin crenate, apex obtuse to rounded. Scapes 5--30 cm, farinose toward apex; umbels 4- to many flowered; bracts lanceolate, 5--10 mm, ± farinose. Pedicel 0.5--3.5 cm, sparsely cream-yellow farinose or glandular. Flowers heterostylous. Calyx often tinged with purple, campanulate, 5--8 mm, glandular, parted to middle; lobes ovate to ovate-oblong, margin farinose, apex obtuse to acute. Corolla dark purple to rich maroon, rarely white; tube 1--1.4 cm; limb 1.5--3.5 cm wide; lobes broadly obovate to suborbicular, slightly emarginate. Pin flowers: stamens near middle of corolla tube; style exserted. Thrum flowers: stamens toward apex of corolla tube; style ca. as long as calyx. Capsule discoid, shorter than calyx, disintegrating at maturity. Fl. May-Jun. 2n = 22.

S Xizang [Bhutan, NE India, Nepal, Sikkim].

Alpine meadows, streamsides; 3800--4700 m.

Primula calderiana I. B. Balfour & Cooper f. alba (W. W. Smith) H. Hara; P. calderiana var. alba (W. W. Smith) W. W. Smith & H. R. Fletcher; P. laeta W. W. Smith; P. roylei I. B. Balfour & W. W. Smith; P. roylei subsp. calderiana (I. B. Balfour & Cooper) W. W. Smith & Forrest; P. roylei var. alba W. W. Smith.