taxonID	type	description	language	source
03934045FFD7FFBABD89FDC0FBF7FEE6.taxon	materials_examined	Type: — India, Sikkim, North-Sikkim: Naga, Naga Forest Block, alt. 3255 m, N 27 ° 29.653 ’, E 088 ° 38.059 ’, 20.04.2025, Dharmit Lepcha 794 (Holo-SU; Iso-BHSC).	en	Lepcha, Dharmit, Chettri, Arun, Singh, Harsh (2025): A new species of Primula (Primulaceae) from Sikkim Himalaya, India. Phytotaxa 732 (1): 83-90, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.732.1.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.732.1.8
03934045FFD7FFBABD89FDC0FBF7FEE6.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis The new species Primula lepcha resembles with P. bhutanica, P. whitei and P. bracteosa, but differs distinctly in several morphological features. It can be distinguished from P. bhutanica by the presence of homostylous and heterostylous flower (vs. heterostylous only), absence of bud scales (vs. present), efarinose lamina and petiole (vs. farinose on abaxial lamina and petiole), scape 1.0 ‒ 1.5 cm long (vs. long 4 cm), bract ovate-hemispherical with acute to acuminate apex (vs. linear-lanceolate with acute apex), calyx non-mealy, elliptic shaped (vs. slightly mealyon both sides, ovate to broadly lanceolate shape), corolla ex-annulate (vs. annulate), pin stamens placed ½ of corolla tube (vs. stamens inserted towards the base of corolla tube). From P. whitei, it differs by lacking bud scales (vs. present), efarinose plant (vs. farinose), petiole length 1.5 ‒ 2.0 cm (vs. 4 ‒ 7 cm long), 2 ‒ 4 flowers in short umbel (vs. 7 ‒ 9 flowers in large umbel), corolla ex-annulate (vs. annulate), petal lobes obovate or orbicular, irregularly notched petal tips (vs. petal lobes ovateobcordate, lobes entire to crenate). It also differs from P. bracteosa by its efarinose, (vs. farinose plant), juvenile leaves with glandular hairs (vs. juvenile leaves without glandular hairs), scape 1.0 ‒ 1.5 cm during flowering, grows to 2 ‒ 4 cm during fruiting (vs. flowering scape absent or very short during flowering which grows to length 15 ‒ 20 cm during fruiting, 2 – 4 flowers (vs. 5 – 10 flowers), petal lobes irregularly notched (vs. petal lobes bluntly notched) and calyx lobe incised (vs. calyx lobe entire).	en	Lepcha, Dharmit, Chettri, Arun, Singh, Harsh (2025): A new species of Primula (Primulaceae) from Sikkim Himalaya, India. Phytotaxa 732 (1): 83-90, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.732.1.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.732.1.8
03934045FFD7FFBABD89FDC0FBF7FEE6.taxon	description	Description Plant perennial herb, lacking bud-scales, efarinose. Root filamentous roots with occasional small white hairs, 5 ‒ 11 cm long. Leaves dimorphic, forms a rosette with old foliage at the base, glandular hairs present at the base of juvenile leaves adaxially; outer leaves deltoid, 1 ‒ 1.9 × 1.1 ‒ 1.7 cm; petiole 1.5 ‒ 2 cm long, glandular hairs present throughout, margin irregularly incised or laciniate, with acute apex; inner leaves oblong, 1.8 ‒ 2.8 × 1.2 ‒ 1.8 cm, broadly winged and insignificant petiole at the base, margin deeply laciniate, with an obtuse apex. Scape 1.2 ‒ 1.5 cm long, piloseall over; umbel sometimes solitary or 2 ‒ 4 flowered; bracts ovate to hemispherical with acute to acuminate apex, reddish green, pilose all over, 5.0 ‒ 7.0 mm long. Pedicel 0.8 ‒ 1.4 cm long, glandular hairs present all over. Flowers heteromorphic or homomorphic. Calyx campanulate, glandular hairs present all over, 0.6 ‒ 0.9 × 0.9 ‒ 1.2 cm, parted to 1 / 2, calyx lobe ovate to lanceolate with irregularly incised margins or sometimes entire. Corolla hypocrateriform to infundibuliform, ex-annulate, mauve to purple-blue with a yellow centre surrounded by a white line, limb 0.8 ‒ 1.4 cm long, pubescent near the flower mouth; tube 1.0 ‒ 1.2 cm long; lobes obovate or orbicular, irregularly notched petal tips, three toothed or more. Pin flower: stamens up to 1 / 2 of corolla tube, anthers oblong, 0.1 ‒ 0.2 cm long, basifixed, longitudinal dehiscence, yellow in colour; filament 0.5 mm long, thick; style as long as the corolla tube, 1.1 ‒ 1.2 cm long, thickened at apex; stigma oval shaped, stigmatic papillae; ovary ovoid ca. 0.2 × 0.1 cm. Thrum flower: stamens present near the flower mouth, anther 0.1 ‒ 0.2 cm long, filament 0.5 cm long; style up to 1 / 2 of corolla tube, 0.5 ‒ 0.6 cm long, stigma capitate-lobulate, stigmatic papillae; ovary globose, ca. 0.2 × 0.2 cm. Homostylous flower: stamens present near the flower mouth, anther 0.1 ‒ 0.2 cm long, filament 0.05 cm; style up to 1 / 3 of corolla tube, 0.7 ‒ 0.8 cm long, stigma capitate-lobulate, stigmatic papillae; ovary globose, ca. 0.2 × 0.2 cm. Seeds rhomboid, ovoid and variously angled, 0.5 ‒ 1 × 0.4 ‒ 0.8 mm, brown-black.	en	Lepcha, Dharmit, Chettri, Arun, Singh, Harsh (2025): A new species of Primula (Primulaceae) from Sikkim Himalaya, India. Phytotaxa 732 (1): 83-90, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.732.1.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.732.1.8
03934045FFD7FFBABD89FDC0FBF7FEE6.taxon	biology_ecology	Flowering and fruiting: — Flowering in the month of March-April and fruiting in the month of May.	en	Lepcha, Dharmit, Chettri, Arun, Singh, Harsh (2025): A new species of Primula (Primulaceae) from Sikkim Himalaya, India. Phytotaxa 732 (1): 83-90, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.732.1.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.732.1.8
03934045FFD7FFBABD89FDC0FBF7FEE6.taxon	etymology	Etymology: — The new species is named ‘ Lepcha ’ to commemorate the work done by the two plant collectors Rhomoo Lepcha and Ribu Lepcha belonging to the Lepcha community of Sikkim, Eastern Himalaya.	en	Lepcha, Dharmit, Chettri, Arun, Singh, Harsh (2025): A new species of Primula (Primulaceae) from Sikkim Himalaya, India. Phytotaxa 732 (1): 83-90, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.732.1.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.732.1.8
03934045FFD7FFBABD89FDC0FBF7FEE6.taxon	distribution	Distribution: — So far, this species is only known from its type locality Naga Forestof North Sikkim.	en	Lepcha, Dharmit, Chettri, Arun, Singh, Harsh (2025): A new species of Primula (Primulaceae) from Sikkim Himalaya, India. Phytotaxa 732 (1): 83-90, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.732.1.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.732.1.8
03934045FFD7FFBABD89FDC0FBF7FEE6.taxon	biology_ecology	Habitat: — It grows in close association with mosses under bamboo thickets and shrubs of Rhododendron hodgsonii Hooker (1851: 15) in the moist and shady places on the rock crevices.	en	Lepcha, Dharmit, Chettri, Arun, Singh, Harsh (2025): A new species of Primula (Primulaceae) from Sikkim Himalaya, India. Phytotaxa 732 (1): 83-90, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.732.1.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.732.1.8
