Primula microdonta Franchet ex Petitmengin var. alpicola W. W. Smith, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 15: 85. 1926; P. alpicola (W. W. Smith) Stapf subsp. luna Stapf; P. alpicola subsp. violacea Stapf; P. alpicola var. alba W. W. Smith.
Herbs perennial, efarinose except for inflorescences. Leaves forming a rosette; petiole nearly as long as to 2 X as long as leaf blade; leaf blade oblong to elliptic, 10--20 X 3--8 cm, thin papery, abaxially minutely glandular, adaxially glabrous, base truncate to rounded, sometimes cordulate to short cuneate, margin denticulate to crenulate, apex rounded. Scapes 15--90 cm, scarcely farinose toward apex; umbels 2--4, superimposed, 5- to many flowered; bracts green or reddish brown, lanceolate to oblong or ovate, 6--20 X 1.5--5(--8) mm, usually farinose. Pedicel 1--8 cm, pale yellow farinose. Flowers heterostylous. Calyx campanulate to tubular-campanulate, 7--10 mm, sparsely farinose outside, copiously yellow farinose inside, parted to 1/4--1/3, 5-veined; lobes triangular to lanceolate, apex acute and slightly recurved. Corolla yellow, purple, or white; tube 1.1--1.3 cm; limb 1.2--3 cm wide; lobes broadly obovate to suborbicular, emarginate. Pin flowers: stamens ca. 3 mm above base of corolla tube; style ca. as long as tube. Thrum flowers: stamens toward apex of corolla tube; style ca. 2 mm. Capsule cylindric, slightly longer than calyx. Fl. Jul. 2n = 22.
Streamsides, thickets, glades; 3000--4600 m. SE Xizang [Bhutan].
