Primula sect. Dodecatheon

Primula" sect. "Dodecatheon is a section of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Primulaceae. "Primula" species in this section were formerly considered in a separate genus, Dodecatheon. The species have basal clumps of leaves and nodding flowers that are produced at the top of tall stems rising from where the leaves join the crown. The genus is largely confined to North America and part of northeastern Siberia. Common names include shooting star, American cowslip, mosquito bills, mad violets, and sailor caps. A few species are grown in gardens for their showy and unique flower display.
The stamens are thrust out with the sepals bent back. The flowers are pollinated by bees, which grab hold of the petals, and gather pollen by vibrating the flowers by buzzing their wings (buzz pollination). The vibration releases pollen from the anthers.
Classification.
"Dodecatheon" is related to the genus "Primula" (primroses and related plants); in fact, "Primula" without "Dodecatheon" is paraphyletic. One way of avoiding this is to move the "Dodecatheon" species into "Primula". If this is done, the former genus "Dodecatheon" becomes a monophyletic section, "Primula" subg. "Auriculastrum" sect. "Dodecatheon" (L.) A.R.Mast & Reveal.
Cultivation.
Several species are found in cultivation, including "Dodecatheon dentatum", "Dodecathon hendersonii" and "Dodecathon meadia".
"Dodecathon" need good drainage and often dry soils in summer and winter when plants are dormant, in the spring plants like moist soils for best growth. Plants grown in dry soils tend to be smaller and lower growing. Since plants typically go summer dormant, seed raised plants need three or more years of growth before they are large enough to bloom. For some "Dodecatheon", if given frequent light fertilization and kept moist, dormancy can be delayed resulting in larger plants after germination and the interval between germination and flowering decreased by a year or two. Another technique to shorten the interval between seed germination and flowering is to place the plants in a cooler after dormancy has set in, in late spring, and after a number of weeks move the plants to a shadehouse in midsummer where new growth will start. The flowers need buzz pollination to produce seeds.
"Dodecatheon" can be propagated by division in winter.
Species.
There are 17 species. Several varieties of the Pacific Northwest are edible.