The genus Dionysia (Primulaceae), a synopsis and five new species

52 Lidén: Dionysia, synopsis and new species
Fig. 3. Dionysia sawyeri – A: flowering branch with fresh axillary shoot; B: old shoot (overwintering); C: calyx;
D: corolla; E: small leaf from above; F: marginal hairs of leaf. – From Alexeenko 821, LE.
the rest of the section (Dionysia sawyeri not included). It has a glabrous corolla in common with
D. sawyeri, but is otherwise not similar.
In Grey-Wilson (1989) it is depicted with deeply divided calyx, but usually this is divided to
only 1 /2 or at most to 2 /3. In the cliffs of the Kuh Pashmaku it is often found growing in places well
protected from overhead water. It has proven rather difficult to keep in cultivation.
33. Dionysia caespitosa (Duby) Boiss., Diagn. Pl. Orient. ser. 1, 7: 67. 1846 ≡ Gregoria caespitosa
Duby in Candolle, Prodr. 8: 46. 1844 ≡ Macrosyphonia caespitosa (Duby) Duby in Mem. Soc.
Phys. Genève 1844: 427. 1844 ≡ Primula macrosiphonia Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. 2: 400. 1891. –
Lectotype (designated by Grey-Wilson 1989): Iran, Elwend Kuh, near Esfahan, Aucher-Eloy 2609
(K; isolectotypes: BM, P).
= Dionysia peduncularis Bornm. in Bull. Herb. Boissier, ser. 2, 5: 261. 1905. – Holotype: W
Iran, Kohrud, 4.1904, Strauss (B, not seen, teste Wendelbo).
= Dionysia bolivari Pau in Trab. Mus. Ci. Nat., Ser. Bot. 14: 27. 1918 ≡ Dionysia caespitosa subsp.
bolivarii (Pau) Grey-Wilson, Gen. Dionysia: 99. 1989. – Holotype: W Iran, Bazoft valley, Escalera
1899 (MA, not seen, teste Wendelbo).
According to Jamzad (1996) Dionysia bolivari is not distinct enough to be recognised as separate
taxon.
The corolla is glandular pubescent (illustrated with glabrous corolla in Grey-Wilson 1989) and
sometimes has dense farina. Farina is rare in the section Dionysia, and is in D. caespitosa confined
to the (upper part of the) exterior of the corolla and the interior of calyx. For the only other occasion
of farina in this section, see discussion under D. diapensifolia.