GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE GENUS CROCUS. 363 
and without making gaps which some other method would more 
easily bridge over. Any arrangement of the species of the 
genus must therefore be based on a joint view of all the cha- 
racters. 
The first attempt at classification was by Haworth, in 1809, 
who grouped the genus into two sections he termed PrrraEnr and 
DEPrrATI, including respectively the species with bearded and 
unbearded throats. 
Herbert, about the year 1846, adopted for his primary grouping 
the presence or absence of a basal spathe, subdividing his main 
sections by the character of the corm-tunies. 
Baker, in 1873, classified the genus into three sections—Horo- 
STIGMA, OpowTosTIGMA, and SCHIZosTIGMA—by the character 
and degree of subdivision of the stigmata, with subordinate groups 
for the spring- and autumn-flowering species and those with 
Cyanic and Xanthic flowers. 
I prefer Dean Herbert's method to that of Mr. Baker, as 
community of character of the stigmata seems to assoclate the 
species unnaturally; and there is greater variety of type than 
can be properly represented by three groups only ; and in several 
species, e. g. Crocus longiflorus, individual flowers vary with every 
variety of structure, from the entire to the finely divided stigmata. 
The grouping of the species I have adopted is based on Her- 
bert's classification, except that I place in a separate section as 
Annulati those species having an annulate corm-tunic; and I 
separate Crocus Fleischeri and C. parviflorus under a distinct 
section I have termed Zztertexti. 
Division I.—IN VOLUCRATI. 
Species with a basal spathe springing at the base of the scape from 
the summit of the corm. 
Section 1. Fibro-membranacei. With a corm-tunic of membranous 
tissue interspersed with nearly parallel fibres. 
Autumn-flowering. 
1. iridiflorus. - 6. nudiflorus. 10. Clusii. 
2. vallicola. 6 b. granatensis. 11. ochroleucus. 
3. Scharojani. 7. asturicus. 12. lazicus. 
4. zonatus. 8. serotinus. 13. Cambessedesii. 
5. karduchorum, 9. Salzmanni. 
