856 MR. G. MAW ON THE LIFE-HISTORY OF A CROCUS. 
species. In C. medius rarely more than two, or at most three or 
four, are produced; in some species there are as many as ten or 
twelve to a corm; roughly speaking, the number of the proper 
leaves is small in proportion to their width. 
The Scape. —Of the ascending axis from the corm-summit to 
the base of the ovary I have little to observe. It is either tetra- 
quetrous or triquetrous, varying from 1 inch to 2 inches high at 
the flowering-time, but lengthens rapidly as the capsule matures, 
and is brought above ground 5 or 6 inches abovë the corm- 
summit. Asa rule, the shorter the scape at the flowering-time, 
the greater is its height at the maturity of the capsule. In some 
species, e. g. C. nudiflorus, but one scape and flower is produced 
within each set of sheathing-leaves ; in others there are two or 
more scapes. 
Spathes (Plate XX XV .).— The other foliaceous organs are the 
spathes, of which there are two distinct series—those springing 
from the base of the scapes, and those springing from the base 
of the ovary. The former are not always present; and the pre- 
sence or absence of the basal spathe suggested to Herbert the 
classification of the genus into the main groups İNVOLUCRATI 
and NupirLORr Of the Nudiflori, the great majority are vernal ; 
and most of the Involucrati are autumn-flowering species. The 
basal spathe is a membranous tube springing from the base of 
and enclosing the scape, and reaching just above the ovary. A 
basal spathe may include several scapes ; but there is often a 
separate basal spathe to each scape. 
The proper spathe, springing from the base of the ovary, con- 
sists of one ortwo membranous, or slightly foliaceous organs, one 
of which is tubular, and the other, when present, generally ligu- 
late. When one only is present, it is invariably tubular. The 
presenee of one or of two proper spathes is an almost constant 
character, valuable in the determination of species. The proper 
spathe, with a few exceptions, exceeds the sheathing-leaves, en- 
vironing the tube to within an inch or an inch and a half of the 
throat. 
The tube is invariably cylindrical, varying in the different spe 
cies from 24 to 6 inches in length, and generally partaking, in 1ts 
upper exposed portion, of the colouring of the flower. The awn- 
like process from the summit of the capsule is merely the remnant 
of the base of the tube intertwined with the remnant of the prope? 
spathe. 
