Cave Primrose (Easter-flower)

Primula specuicola

Family: Primulaceae – Primrose Family

Primula specuicola (Easter-flower or Cave primrose) is the only species from this family represented at Arches National Park. Perennial herbs; 2.4” to 11.2” (6 to 28 centimeters) tall

Leaves: basal; simple; toothed; spatula shaped; 0.8” to 8” (2 to 20 cm) long; 0.12” to 1.32” (3 to 33 mm) wide

Flowers: 5 lobed lavender to pink tubular petals with the corolla tube rimmed in yellow; 5 tubular lobed sepals; 5 stamens; 1 pistil; umbels with 5 to 40 flowers in clusters at the end of a leafless stalk; flowers 0.5” to 0.67” (1.27 to 1.7 cm) wide

Pollinators: Other Primula species pollinated by insects (specifically bees, moths and butterflies)

Fruits: capsule

Blooms in Arches National Park: March, April

Habitat in Arches National Park: hanging gardens and streamsides; mainly in alcoves in Entrada and Navajo Sandstone formations

Location seen: seeps; outside Arches National Park in Negro Bill Canyon

Other: The genus name, “Primula”, comes from “primus”, which means “first” being a reference to the plant's blooming in early spring. The species name, “specuicola”, is Latin for "cave".

Primula specuicola is a Colorado Plateau endemic and occurs in the canyons and tributaries of the Colorado River. It is endemic to Garfield, Grand, Kane, San Juan (type specimen was collected near Bluff), and Wayne Counties in southeast Utah and Apache, Coconino, and Navajo Counties in northern Arizona.

This plant is a C3 federal species of concern. C3 are taxa that are no longer being considered for listing as threatened or endangered species by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Although this C3 candidate is no longer officially considered for listing under theEndangered Species Act the former candidate status is important historical information.

It flowers around Easter, so it is sometimes called Easter-flower.