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. hendersonii A. Gray

MOSQUITO BILLS, SAILOR CAPS

Plant glabrous to glandular-hairy; root with rice-like bulblets
Leaf 2–16 cm; blade elliptic to ovate or obovate, generally narrowed abruptly to petiole, entire to ± toothed
Inflorescence 3–17-flowered
Flower: parts in 4's or 5's, even on same plant; corolla lobes 6–23 mm, magenta to deep lavender or white; filament tube 1–3 mm, anthers 3–5 mm, tissue near base transversely wrinkled, dark maroon to black; stigma not much enlarged
Fruit circumscissile
Chromosomes: n=22,33,66
Ecology: Generally in shady sites
Elevation: < 1900 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California (except North Coast), Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada Foothills, Great Central Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, n Inner South Coast Ranges, San Bernardino Mountains
Distribution outside California: to s British Columbia, Idaho
Synonyms: subsp. cruciatum (Greene) H.J. Thompson; subsp. parvifolium (Knuth) H.J. Thompson, D. hansenii (Greene) H.J. Thompson
Highly variable; may hybridize with D. clevelandii
Horticultural information: DRN, DRY: 15, 16, 17, 24 &SHD: 7, 8, 9, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.