''Primula scotica'', commonly known as Scottish 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 ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

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 ...

, the primroses and their relatives. It was discovered by James Smith, and is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the north coast of

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

Description

''Primula scotica'' is a low

biennial plant A biennial plant is a flowering plant that, generally in a temperate climate, takes two years to complete its biological life cycle. Life cycle In its first year, the biennal plant undergoes primary growth, during which its vegetative structures ...

with mealy stems and leaves. The leaves are broadest at the middle and are not toothed and form a low rosette. It has purple flowers with a yellow centre and the sepals are rounded and rather blunt. This plant is only a few centimetres tall, even when in full bloom. The flowers are small, being around in diameter and they have five heart-shaped purple petals with a bright yellow eye in the centre.

Distribution

''Primula scotica'' is endemic to northern Scotland where it is found along the northern,

Pentland Firth The Pentland Firth ( gd, An Caol Arcach, meaning the Orcadian Strait) is a strait which separates the Orkney Islands from Caithness in the north of Scotland. Despite the name, it is not a firth. Etymology The name is presumed to be a corruption ...

, coast of the mainland in the

Highland (council area) Highland ( gd, A' Ghàidhealtachd, ; sco, Hieland) is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in the United Kingdom. It was the 7th most populous council area in Scotland at the 2011 census. It share ...

in the former counties of

Caithness Caithness ( gd, Gallaibh ; sco, Caitnes; non, Katanes) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. Caithness has a land boundary with the historic county of Sutherland to the west and is otherwise bounded by ...

and

Sutherland Sutherland ( gd, Cataibh) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in the Highlands of Scotland. Its county town is Dornoch. Sutherland borders Caithness and Moray Firth to the east, Ross-shire and Cromartyshire (later ...

and on the other side of the Pentland Firth in the

Orkney Islands Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north ...

. A survey in 2008 found the Scottish primrose to be present at 194 sites from

Durness Durness ( gd, Diùranais) is a village and civil parish in the north-west Highlands of Scotland. It lies on the north coast of the country in the traditional county of Sutherland, around north of Inverness. The area is remote, and the parish is ...

in Sutherland to

Dunbeath Dunbeath ( gd, Dùn Bheithe) is a village in south-east Caithness, Scotland on the A9 road. It sits astride the Dunbeath Water just before it enters the sea at Dunbeath Bay. Dunbeath has a very rich archaeological landscape, the site of numero ...

in north eastern Caithness.

Habitat and biology

''Primula scotica'' grows in coastal heaths and grassland. The majority of the sites where this species occurs are within a few hundred metres of the sea and there is normally a mosaic of heath, grassland and rocky outcrops. ''P. scotica'' can only reproduce from seed. It comes into flower twice each year, the first flowering takes place in the early spring and the second in the summer, however, some plants do not flower. Reproduction is normally through

self-fertilisation Autogamy, or self-fertilization, refers to the fusion of two gametes that come from one individual. Autogamy is predominantly observed in the form of self-pollination, a reproductive mechanism employed by many flowering plants. However, species of ...

but when the plants are cross-pollinated by insects this can lead to longer-lived more vigorous plants. This species requires short vegetation to survive and can often be a coloniser of small areas of bare soil, for example in the slots made by the hoofs of ungulates. Scottish primroses are perennial and once they are mature they can persist at a site long after it has become unsuitable for germination. Severe winters can lead to high mortality of young plants.

Taxonomy

''Primula scotica'' is most closely related to ''

Primula scandinavica ''Primula scandinavica'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae. Description ''Primula scandinavica'' is a perennial plant, which possesses a basal rosette of leaves. The leaves are around 2–4 cm long, narrow at the ...

'' which occurs in Norway and north-west Sweden, and more distantly to the

Arctic The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...

species ''

Primula stricta ''Primula stricta'', also known as the strict primrose, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae. Description ''Primula stricta'' is a perennial plant growing from tall. The species has basal rosette of leaves, which possess gl ...

''.

Threats and conservation

''Primula scotica'' requires short vegetation and its habitat can become unsuitable if grazing is too light, similarly too heavy grazing can also have a deleterious effect on the quality of habitat, especially if the plants are consumed by the herbivores. There has also been a loss of habitat to agricultural intensification and to tree planting. Climate change is also a threat to this species which is sensitive to extremes of climate. Conservation of a few sites with appropriate management, such as grazing, should secure this rare plant which has low genetic diversity.

Culture

''Primula scotica'' is the county flower of Caithness and was the original symbol of the

Scottish Wildlife Trust The Scottish Wildlife Trust is a Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, registered charity dedicated to conserving the Natural history of Scotland, wildlife and natural environment of Scotland. Description The Scottish Wildlife Trust has well ...

References

External links

* * {{Authority control scotica Endemic flora of Scotland Caithness Environment of Orkney