A primula is a plant that has brightly coloured flowers in the spring.
primula in British English
(ˈprɪmjʊlə)
noun
any primulaceous plant of the N temperate genus Primula, having white, yellow, pink, or purple funnel-shaped flowers with five spreading petals: includes the primrose, oxlip, cowslip, and polyanthus
Word origin
C18: New Latin, from Medieval Latin prīmula (vēris) little first one (of the spring)