PRIMULACEAE

PRIMROSE FAMILY

Anita F. Cholewa and Douglass M. Henderson

Annual, perennial herb, subshrub, glabrous to glandular-hairy
Leaves simple, basal or cauline, alternate, opposite, or whorled, sessile or petioled; stipules 0
Inflorescence sometimes scapose
Flower bisexual, radial; parts generally in 4's or 5's; calyx deeply lobed, often persistent; corolla lobes spreading to reflexed; stamens epipetalous, opposite corolla lobes; ovary generally superior, 1-chambered, placenta basal or free-central, style 1, stigma head-like
Fruit: capsule, circumscissile or 2–6-valved
Seeds small, few–many
Genera in family: ± 25 genera, 600 species: especially n hemisphere; several ornamental (Cyclamen , Dodecatheon , Primula )
Reference: [Channell & Wood 1959 J Arnold Arbor 40:268–288]

DODECATHEON

SHOOTING STAR

Perennial, glabrous or glandular-hairy; roots fleshy-fibrous
Leaves basal
Inflorescence: umbel, 1 per scapose peduncle, terminal, few–many-flowered, subtended by bracts
Flower nodding; parts in 4's or 5's; sepals reflexed, later erect, persistent; corolla tube short, lobes reflexed; stamens exserted, filaments very short, wide, often fused, anthers erect, ± lanceolate, surrounding style; ovary superior, style slender, ± exserted from anthers
Fruit ± 5-valved or circumscissile, ovate to spheric
Species in genus: ± 14 species: generally North America
Etymology: (Greek: 12 gods, presumably the Olympians)
Reference: [Thompson 1953 Contr Dudley Herb 4:73–154]
Polyploid group; species sometimes intergrade.

Native

D. pulchellum (Raf.) Merr.

Plant glabrous
Leaf 4–25 cm; blade oblanceolate to ovate, generally narrowed ± gradually to petiole, generally entire
Inflorescence 2–15-flowered
Flower: parts in 5's; corolla lobes generally 9–14 mm, magenta to lavender; filament tube 1.5–3.5 mm, dark maroon to black, anthers 3–5.5 mm, tissue near base smooth to longitudinally wrinkled (when dry), maroon to black; stigma not much enlarged
Fruit with valves
Chromosomes: 2n=44,88
Ecology: Wet meadows
Elevation: 1200–2200 m.
Bioregional distribution: Great Basin Floristic Province, Desert Mountains
Distribution outside California: to Alaska, e US, Mexico
Flowering time: Apr–May
Synonyms: subsp. monanthum (Greene) H.J. Thompson
The name D. pauciflorum Greene may have priority
Horticultural information: bog and pure water: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6; DFCLT.