HOMOSTYLY AND HERKOGAMOUS VARIATION IN PRIMULA-L SECTION MUSCARIOIDESBALF-F

In the Sinohimalayan section of Primula, Muscarioides, 11 species are distylous; unusually, at least four of these are or can be tetraploid. P. concholoba and P. watsonii are tetraploid homostyles with thrum ty pe pollen which are probably secondary in origin. Particularly in P. w atsonii, there is considerable variation in herkogamy, which it is sug gested may be associated with the narrow-tubed lepidopterophilous flow ers. In both subspecies of P. bellidifolia, diploids and tetraploids, and distylous and homostylous individuals occur. There is no clear rel ationship between 'ploidy level, mating system and altitude, but subsp . bellidifolia is more often tetraploid and homostylous than is subsp. hyacinthina. In this species there is also considerable herkogamous v ariation between both homostylous and distylous individuals.