''Primula hendersonii'' is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Primulaceae,

native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...

to western North America, from California north to southern British Columbia and Idaho. Common names include broad-leaved shooting star, Henderson's shooting star, mosquito bills, and sailor caps.

Description

''P. hendersonii'' is summer deciduous, dying back to the ground after the rains cease. It has basal clumps of leaves, 2–16 cm, with nodding flowers 6–25 mm long on stems 10–30 cm tall. The flowers are magenta to deep lavender to white, with the

stamen The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...

s thrust out and the

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

s bent back. It is highly variable and hybridizes with ''

Primula clevelandii ''Primula clevelandii'', with the common name of Padre's shooting star, is a species of primrose. Its specific epithet ''clevelandii'' honors 19th-century San Diego–based plant collector and lawyer Daniel Cleveland. Description ''Primula cle ...

'', from which it can be distinguished by its reddish or purplish stem.

Distribution and habitat

In California, it occurs in the northwest (except the north coast), the Cascade Range, the Sierra Nevada foothills, the Central Valley, the San Francisco Bay Area, the north Inner South Coast Ranges, and the San Bernardino Mountains. It is generally found in open woodlands, from sea level in British Columbia, up to altitude in California.

Cultivation

It needs good drainage, and needs a dry summer period. Plants germinated from seed may take 3–5 years to produce flowers. For some plants, with frequent light fertilization and moisture, dormancy may be delayed, and flowering time may be decreased to 1–2 years. Another technique to speed flowering is to place them in a cooler after dormancy, then bring them to a shadehouse in midsummer. It can be propagated by division in winter. It prefers shade when inland.

Uses

The leaves and roots can be eaten when roasted or boiled, but are reported to be poisonous when eaten raw.

References

Notes

Jepson Flora Project: ''Dodecatheon hendersonii''Plants of British Columbia: ''Dodecatheon hendersonii''
*
ITIS 23962
*Cullina, William, and Cullina, Bill (2000) ''The New England Wild Flower Society Guide to Growing and Propagating Wildflowers of the United States and Canada'', Houghton Mifflin Company, .

*"Wildflowers of Henry W. Coe State Park" brochure, Larry Ulrich, 2002 hendersonii Flora of California Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Flora of the Western United States Flora of the Northwestern United States Flora of British Columbia Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands Natural history of the California Coast Ranges Natural history of the San Francisco Bay Area Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Primulaceae-stub