4 
6. CROCUS Cartwrightianus, varietates. 
C. Cartwrightianus v. Creticus ; c. tun. leetiüs badiis, foliis paucioribus; peri- 
anthio extus pallidé stramineo. Variat intus ex albo magis purpurascens, 
stylo interdum odoratissimo. Prope Caneam in Cretd insuld. 
v. Leucadius ; perianthio albo concolore, stigmatibus 
tenuioribus folis circiter sex. In collibus Marandoiore in Leucade et 
in insulis vicinis Scorpio et Meganissi dictis Octobri a dom. A. D. Maz- 
ziari lectus. 
The first of these two plants was obtained for me by Mr. 
Cartwright from Canea in Crete, where it was said to be vernal 
with a yellow flower. On the receipt of one dry bulb last | 
June, I carefully examined it, and from its structure I replied 
that I believed it would prove not to have a yellow flower, but 
to be closely allied to the autumnal Cartwrightianus. I was 
answered that it was certainly vernal, but before that answer 
arrived it had put forth leaves in October, and other bulbs 
thereof received soon after flowered upon my table in November 
and one in December, differing from Cartwrightianus in the 
pale straw-colour of the outside of the flower, and in little else. 
This shews the importance of taking the character from the 
bulb. Flowering, like Cartwrightianus very late, its blossom 
may perhaps.be delayed till after the close ofthe year, if early 
snow falls upon it, or cold weather sets in with the first 
autumnal rains. C. Cartwrightianus, and Pallasianus of the 
Crimea, which is insufficiently described, are evidently con- 
nected closely with C. campestris, and may perhaps with a 
view to generalization be placed as varieties under that name 
given by Pallas. Concerning C. Cartwrightianus I may add, 
folia superficie ortu glaucescentia, flores petalis minoribus 
duo ex eodem involucro quandoque simultanei, perianthium 
quam maximé variat ex albo plüs minüs lilacino suffuso, 
limbo intus plüs minüs saturatiüs dilutiüs lineis purpureis 
notato. I have scarcely seen two of the plants from Syra or 
Tino exactly similar in the colour and markings, but I have 
found no variability in the flowers from the same plant, and 
the white do not acquire a purple tinge in fading; yet, 
strange to say, Mr. Cartwright sent three dry specimens with 
a white flower and a purple one issuing at the same time from 
the same shoot. It is to be feared that the roots which pro- 
duced them may have perished after the decapitation.—W. H. 
