The oxlip, one of three widespread and familiar members of section Primula. Best distinguished from the cowslip, P. veris by the one-sided inflorescence and indumentum of short crisped hairs.Leaves 5-20cm long by 2-7cm wide, ovate to suborbicular, abruptly contracted into the petiole, the veins conspicuous on both surfaces giving a rugose appearance, always hairy beneath, the margins toothed and somewhat recurved. Flowers 1.5-2.5cm across, in one sided umbels of two to twelve on stems 5-15cm tall. Western Europe including Britain (East Anglia) to the Ukraine and the Altai. Several subspecies are recognised. Subsp. elatior (W Europe, Alps) has lemon-yellow flowers, green leaves and a stem about 10 cm long. P.e. subsp. intricata has leaves which narrow gradually into the petiole and are entire when young. There are fewer flowers to the umbel and none exceed 2cm across (mountains of southern Europe). P.e. subsp. leucophylla is similar to subsp. intricata but dwarfer and usually deciduous, the flowers emerging with the leaves in the melting snow; the leaves are grey tomentose beneath (Eastern Carpathians to Caucasus). P.e. subsp. lofthousei has leaves which are pubescent above and beneath, triangular calyx-lobes and many brighter yellow flowers to the umbel (Spanish Sierra Nevada). P.e. subsp. meyeri, has deep pink to purple flowers, and is mostoy deciduous (Turkey and Caucasus, usually alpine). P.e. subsp. pallasii has glabrous leaves, triangular calyx lobes and a three to six-flowered umbel of large pale flowers, to 2.5 cm diameter (Anatolia to Altai). P.e. subsp. cordifolia is a neat plant with smooth, bronzy, cordate leaves, dark stems and pale flowers (Caucasus and Armenia, temperate to subalpine). P.e. subsp. pseudoelatior is a dwarf, evergreen, mat-forming plant with stems to 2-3 cm at flowering, small rounded leaves with cordate bases and rather small, lemon-yellow flowers (NE Turkey, Caucasus, alpine). All make excellent garden plants which may naturalise and grow best with good drainage but never drying out in the open garden. P.e. ssp. meyeri tends to be the most tricky and is best given overhead protection in winter.
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