Biological Flora of the British Isles: Primula veris L.

Abstract

Summary1. This account presents information on all aspects of the biology of Primula veris that are relevant to understanding its ecological characteristics and behaviour. The main topics are presented within the standard framework of the Biological Flora of the British Isles : distribution, habitat, communities, responses to biotic factors, responses to environment, structure and physiology, phenology, floral and seed characters, herbivores and diseases, history and conservation. 2. Primula veris is a distylous, perennial rosette hemicryptophyte, mostly found in well-drained, herb-rich meadows and grasslands, in scrub or woodland rides and edges, and on calcareous cliffs. It occurs on base-rich loams or clays, on limestone, and sometimes in dunes. 3. Native to the British Isles, it is characteristic of many mesotrophic and calcicolous lowland grassland communities, but it also extends into upland valleys in northern England and Scotland. In Ireland it is also native and most abundant in the central plain. Primula veris occurs throughout the temperate areas of Europe as far east as the Russian border. 4. Primula veris is a shade-intolerant species that shows reduced performance and flowering under shade or increased competition. The species is not able to penetrate anoxic soil layers and is therefore mostly absent from locations that are characterized by a high water table. It has a welldeveloped drought tolerance. 5. Primula veris is an obligate outbreeder which entirely depends on foraging insects for successful pollination. Although the species shows heterostyly, with two reciprocal morphs (pin and thrum), only relatively low levels of intermorph pollination have been reported. Seed dispersal is restricted to a few centimetres from maternal plants, whereas pollen flow is wider, but still limited to a few metres from parental plants. Both are factors that contribute to a significantly fine-scale spatial genetic structure and small neighbourhood size. 6. At several locations throughout the British Isles, P. veris occurs together with P. elatior and especially P. vulgaris . The hybrid P. veris × P. vulgaris = P. × polyantha occurs frequently in mixed populations, whereas the hybrid P. veris × P. elatior = P. × media has been rarely reported in Britain. 7. Although P. veris is still a widespread grassland herb, it is less abundant in the British Isles and continental Europe than before. This decline can be attributed to changes in land-use practices, such as the loss of traditional hay-meadow management, the loss of grazing and an increase of ploughing, in combination with ongoing destruction and nutrient enrichment of permanent grasslands. However, from 1980 onwards the species has increased substantially in many areas of the UK, largely because its seeds are included in wildflower seed-mixtures that are sown on new or upgraded road and motorway verges, embankments and urban conservation areas.

Stochastic LTRE analysis of the effects of herbivory on the population dynamics of a perennial grassland herb

“…Primula veris (Primulaceae) is a small perennial herb with a wide distribution in Europe (Brys and Jacquemyn 2009). It typically occurs in nutrient‐poor, calcareous grasslands, in which it can be locally abundant, but it may also be found in dune grasslands, hay‐meadows and open forests.…”

Impact of herbivory on flowering behaviour and life history trade-offs in a polycarpic herb: a 10-year experiment

“…In each population, ten permanent plots (3 9 3 m 2 ) were established in the winter of 1999, five of which were grazed while the others were fenced and mown annually at the end of the growing season (at the second half of August). At this time of the season, P. veris leaves had already started to degenerate and most of the aboveground resources were reallocated to the rhizomatous roots (see Brys and Jacquemyn 2009). Therefore, mowing at this time of the season can be considered as a control treatment to test for the effects of grazing earlier during the growing season.…”

“…1). The species is characterised by the occurrence of a rhizome that functions as a storage organ, and that may possibly buffer compensatory responses following herbivory and/or reproductive costs in the short term (Brys and Jacquemyn 2009). Flowering starts at the beginning of April and lasts for about 3-4 weeks.…”

Biological Flora of the British Isles: Primula vulgaris Huds. (P. acaulis (L.) Hill)

“…is predominantly found along woodland rides and edges, in scrub, hedgerows and on roadside verges (Richards 1989, 2002; Preston et al . 2002; Brys & Jacquemyn 2009). Hybrids tend to occur as scattered individuals in natural populations, rather than in large masses (Pugsley 1927; Valentine 1955).…”

“…They are intermediate in leaf, flower and pubescence characters; the flowers are normally borne in an umbel on a scape (Gurney et al . 2007; Brys & Jacquemyn 2009). They are partially fertile, but backcrossing and introgression are rare.…”