The Flora of Hutton Roof : Primula hybrid x polyantha (hybrid between Primrose and Cowslip) (Early to mid May)

Studies of the hybrid x polyantha

(Click over the photo to get the best view)

above - The Flowers shown in their groups (posies)

Left: Primrose (P. vulgaris)

Middle: Cowslip (P. veris)

Right: Hybrid False oxlip (P. polyantha)

You can see from the above photo the hybrid on the right has a typical cowslip look about it at first glance with the flowers sat bunchlike at the top of a large stalk.

Yet when you look closely at the flowers of the hybrid they are not together on short stalks like you generally get with cowslips (see middle photo), and on the hybrid they have longer individual stalks from each of the flowers to the main stem, a feature you associate more with the Primrose. So the plant is again taking on features between both parents.

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(above) The Flower head arrangement

Left: Primrose (P. vulgaris)

Middle: Cowslip (P. veris)

Right: Hybrid False oxlip (P. polyantha)

With the hybrid to the far right you notice it takes on from both parent species (P. vulgaris x P. veris). At the first look it has the stance of a Cowslip, but when you look closer you note the colour of the flowers are much lighter than a regular Cowslip although they are not as light a yellow as a regular Primrose. So I find it best to look at it as a in-between as maybe expected with a typical hybrid.

Next the flower head arrangement stands out a mile as being different, again at first it gives off the Cowslip look but soon you notice the flower arrangement is different with the flowers at the end of long stems again a factor you notice with the primrose more so than a Cowslip, so again we have the in-betweener factor.

Just to clarify the difference in flower colours

(Click over the photo to get the best view)

Left: Primrose (P. vulgaris)

Middle: Cowslip (P. veris)

Right: Hybrid False oxlip (P. polyantha)

"A Club, A Spade and a in between"

(below) "The leaf from above"

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(above) Top side of leaf

Top: Primrose (P. vulgaris)

Middle: Cowslip (P. veris)

Bottom: Hybrid False oxlip (P. polyantha)

I have called the Primrose (P. vulgaris) the Club, because of the shape of the leaf. It is far more round at the top of the leaf than the other two which are more oval shape. The main factor of difference for me is that the Primrose leaf lies almost flat and does not show ruffling to the edge as you can see is very pronounced especially within the hybrid leaf. I have noticed this ruffling with all the leaves on the main study plant.

(below) Shows the leaf from the underside

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(above) Underside of leaf

Top: Primrose (P. vulgaris)

Middle: Cowslip (P. veris)

Bottom: False oxlip (P. polyantha)

Below - Shows two examples of the hybrid leaf

a leaf of about 8" and a leaf of about 5"

Both top and bottom are underside leaves from the hybrid - x polyantha.

Note the "ruff" edging to the hybrid leaf, for comparison see below.

(below) shows the underside of both the hybrid (top) and the primrose (below)

Top leaf is from the hybrid - x polyantha

Bottom leaf is from Primrose (primula vulgaris)

It is very noticeable that the hybrid (top) has a ruffled edge (crinkled), whereby the regular primrose (P. vulgaris) is almost flat in comparison.

The shape of the top of the leaf seems does appear slightly more rounded with the Primrose (P. vulgaris) compared to more oval in the Cowslip or the hybrid, although this is not applicable to all .

A really good pointer is the tapering of the lower part of the leaf on the hybrid is more gradual over the length of the leaf, and seems much more sharper of a taper with the primrose (P. vulgaris)

Another sure way to tell is that the hairs on the underside of the leaf seem to be far longer in the case of the Primrose (P. vulgaris) and far easier to capture in a photo, than the shorter bristles afforded on both the Cowslip or the hybrid itself.

(below) Hairiness of the underside of the leaves

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