Plant Sex: Flowers bisexual.
Flowers. Actinomorphic. Sepals and petals often connate. Placentation free central. Primula is DISTYLOUS (pin & thrum flowers).
Inflorescence: Various, in panicles, umbels, racemes, heads, occasionally solitary or scapose.
Fruits: Capsules.
Habit: Annual & perennial herbs, some shrubs.
Leaves: Alternate, whorled, opposite, or basal. The aquatic Hottonia has pectinately compound leaves and inflated stems.
Examples:
Primula
- P. sp. (primrose). Inflorescence. Flower L.S. Ovary dissected and in X.S.
- P. mistassinica. Habit of plants growing in Apple River Canyon State Park in Jo Daviess county Illinois (extreme northwest). Closer view of flowers.
Cyclamen
- C. persicum (cyclamen). Habit of white-flowered plant. Habit of pink-flowered plant. Top view of flower showing reflexed petals. Flower L.S.
Dodecatheon
Lysimachia
- L. ciliata (fringed loosestrife). Habit of plant in flower. Flowering shoot.
- L. numularia (moneywort). Flowering shoots creeping over wet soil.
- L. clethroides (gooseneck loosestrife, native of Japan but cultivated widely). Flowering shoots.
Hottonia
- H. inflata (featherfoil). Habit of plants in water. Closer view of a flowering plant.
Your text treats Primulaceae in the broad sense, thus including families such as Theophrastaceae, Myrsinaceae, and Maesaceae. When included, the floral formula is similar to that shown above, just 4-5 instead of 5 for the CA, CO, and A and 3-5 for the G. Below are some photos of members of these groups:
Jacquinia
- J. umbellata. Flower in face view.
- J. pungens. Leaf showing sharp tip. Fruits. Fruit in section showing massive free-central placenta.
Myrsine
Ardisia
Clavija
Maesa
- SIUC / College of Science / Elements of Plant Systematics
- URL: http://www.plantbiology.siu.edu/PLB304/Lecture20Corn/Primulaceae.html
- Last updated: 07-Apr-09 / dln
