name of this noble and lovely plant has reference to its
habitat, Sikkim, in the Himalayas, where it was found not many years
ago. It is not largely cultivated yet--probably not well known. It may,
however, be frequently met with in choice collections, where no plant is
more worthy of a place. Its general character may be said to be very
distinct, especially when in flower. It is herbaceous, hardy, and
perennial. Its hardiness has been questioned for several years, but the
winters of 1880 and 1881 settled that beyond the region of doubt. I had
then many plants of it fully exposed, without even a top-dressing, which
is sometimes given to plants of unquestionable hardiness, and they
stood the winters as well as their kindred species--our common Cowslip.
It was also said to be not more than biennial, as if it were a plant too
good to be without some fatal fault for our climate. However, I can say
emphatically that it is more than biennial, as the specimens from which
the drawing (Fig. 78) is taken are three years old. Several
correspondents have written me stating that their plants are dead. That
has been during their season of dormancy, but in every case they have
pushed at the proper time. I may as well here explain, though somewhat
out of order, a peculiarity in reference to the roots of this species:
it dies down in early autumn, and the crown seems to retire within the
ball of its roots, which are a matted mass of fibres, and not only does
it seem to retire, but also to dwindle, so that anyone, with a
suspicion, who might be seeking for the vital part, might easily be
misled by such appearances, which are further added to by the fact that
the species does not start into growth until a late date compared with
others of the genus. So peculiar are the roots and crown of this plant,
that if a root were dug up in mid-winter, and the soil partly shaken
from it, a two-year-old specimen would be found to be the size and shape
of a cricket ball, and the position of the crown so difficult to find
that, on planting the root again, considerable discrimination would have
to be exercised, or the crown might be pointed the wrong way.

_P. Sikkimensis_ is a Cowslip. The flowers are a pale primrose yellow,
rendered more pale still by a mealiness which covers the whole stem,
being most abundant near the top, but whether it is produced on the
petals, or, owing to their bell-shape and pendent form they receive it
from the scape and pedic