''Primula glutinosa'', also known as the sticky primrose, is a species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

within the family

Primulaceae The Primulaceae , commonly known as the primrose family (but not related to the Onagraceae, evening primrose family), are a family (biology), family of Herbaceous plant, herbaceous and woody flowering plants including some favourite garden plants ...

Description

''Primula glutinosa'' is a deciduous, herbaceous perennial. Growing around 10 cm tall. Plants flower in early summer, with clusters of purplish-blue flowers. Leaves are smooth, lanceolate to wedge shaped and possess a serrated margin. Plants possess many glandular hairs, which lead to its common name as the "sticky" primrose.

Distribution and habitat

''Primula glutinosa'' can be found growing in the Central and Eastern

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...

mountain range. It it is

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

to the countries of

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and He ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

and

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...

. ''P. glutinosa'' has a preference for heavy acidic soils and can be often found growing on colder north facing mountain slopes where snow remains later into the season. The species occurs often in species poor habitat at altitudes ranging from 2000 to 3100 meters above sea level.

Cultivation

''Primula glutinosa'' can be a difficult species to grow due to the fact it seldom flowers in cultivation. The species requires cool, damp conditions in acidic soils. The species cannot tolerate waterlogged soil or lime. Propagation through division is possible, however the species is prone to pests such as

aphids Aphids are small sap-sucking insects and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Common names include greenfly and blackfly, although individuals within a species can vary widely in color. The group includes the fluffy white woolly aphids. A t ...

Hybridization

''Primula glutinosa'' and ''P. minima'' commonly

hybridize Hybridization (or hybridisation) may refer to: *Hybridization (biology), the process of combining different varieties of organisms to create a hybrid *Orbital hybridization, in chemistry, the mixing of atomic orbitals into new hybrid orbitals *Nu ...

in the wild to produce fully fertile offspring. Due to this hybridization it can be difficult in some areas to find individuals typical of either species. In some localities of the

Timmelsjoch Timmelsjoch ( it, Passo del Rombo), (elevation ) is a high mountain pass that creates a link through the Ötztal Alps along the border between Austria and Italy. The Timmelsjoch connects the Ötztal valley in the Austrian state of Tyrol (state), ...

, Otztaler Alps large populations of hybrids occur, with very little ''P. glutinosa''. The hybrid offspring Primula ''× floerkiana'' is much easier to raise in cultivation, however many possess dull coloured flowers compared to ''P. glutinosa.''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1746104 glutinosa Flora of Switzerland Flora of Italy Flora of Austria Flora of Bosnia and Herzegovina