| Cowslip | Primrose family |
| Primula veris | Primulaceae |
Cowslips have tall stalks from which hang an umbel of outward-facing small yellow flowers in spring.
They used to be very common, especially in meadows, but due to modern agriculture,
nowadays they are much less frequent, although they can still be found on grassy road verges.
Cowslips are closely related to primroses, and can cross-pollinate with the primrose to produce
the False Oxlip.
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Technical Information
Perennial herb,10-15 cm tall, Leaves in a basal rosette, oval, stalks narrowing to the base, wrinkled; both sides softly hairy Calyx: downy tube with 5 blunt oval teeth Flowers: yellow with orange markings inside, several flowers in a drooping umbel (not turned to one side like the oxlip). Corolla cup-shaped with folds in throat of tube Flowering time: April-May Habitat: Meadows, grasslands and open woods Distribution: Locally common throughout England, rarer in Wales and Scotland |