MR. G. MAW ON THE LIFE-HISTORY OF A CROCUS. 849 
from its base to its depressed apex; but this is to all intents 
dead and functionless in the new corm, and is merely the remnant 
of the connecting link between last year's foliage and last year's 
corm, and takes no part in the economy of the new life-course 
about to begin. 
The surface of the flesh of the corm is delicately pitted all 
over ; and in the centre of each of these depressions is a minute 
papillus, which I take to be an incipient or undeveloped bud. 
Many of these cover the corm-surface; and it is the deve- 
lopment of one or more of them as bud-growths on which 
the future cycle of life depends. They are scattered indis- 
criminately over the corm-surface ; and the position in which 
they are developed bears no relation to the old axis of growth. 
Usually one of them only enlarges near the top of the corm; 
and it is generally a little to the side of the vascular summit of 
the old corm. Many species produce these bud-growths all over 
the corm; and in two, Crocus nudiflorus and C. lazicus, their 
growth as stolons from various parts of the corm, independently 
of the old axis, is a constant feature. In two others, C. Fleis- 
cheri and C. speciosus, the buds are abundantly developed as 
bulbils or cormlets round the circumference of the old corm, and 
remain for the first year without producing foliage. 
Concurrently with the commencement of the ascending growth 
is the production of roots from the bottom of the corm, and oc- 
casionally from other parts; but here, again, the old axis of 
growth is avoided. The roots are never produced directly from 
the basal scar, but at a greater or less distance round its cir- 
cumference; and I have been unable to trace any connexion 
between them and the old vascular column. 
The abundance of root-production in different species bears 
no relation to the size of the corm, nor does the size of the 
corm bear any ratio to the size or abundance of the flowers of 
individual species; but the abundance of roots is directly related 
to the floriferous character of each species. I would here notice 
that these delicate roots are the most permanent organs in the 
cycle of life, and remain unimpaired till the old corm to which 
they are attached has been finally absorbed and replaced by its 
successor. 
The new corm during its first year of growth throws out no 
true roots; but during the later stages of its expansion a single 
tuber-like process is occasionally produced from the base of the 
