Tas. 6162. 
CROCUS cnrysaNnTHUs. 
Native of Asia Minor. 
Nat. Ord. IrntpeEm.—Tribe IxtEaz. 
Genus Crocus, Tourn. ; (Baker in Gard. Chron., 1873, p. 291). 
Crocus chrysanthus; cormo globoso tunicis Jevibus castaneis nitidis in 
segmenta ovata concava apice fissa solutis basi truncatis non v. obscure 
fibrosis, spatha basali nulla, foliis 83-5 flores vix superantibus angustis 
zs poll. latis, spatha propria 1-2-phylla, floribus 2 aureis, perianthii 
tubo aureo limbo bis terve longiore non fasciato, segmentis aureis 
anguste. elliptico-oblongis obtusis, antheris elongatis vitellinis exsertis 
filamenta puberula exccdentibus, stigmatibus vitellinis integris apice 
truncatis erosis. 
©. chrysanthus, Herbert in Journ. Hort. Soc. vol. ii. p. 285 (non Bot. Reg., 
1847, t. 4, fig. 1); Baker in Gard. Chron., 1873, p. 291. 
C. annulatus, var. chrysanthus, Herbert in Bot. Mag., sub t. 3861 et 3862; et 
in Bot. Reg., 1843, Mise., p. 27. — 
C. croceus, K. Koch in Linneea, vol, xix. p. 7. 
C. sulphureus, Griseb. Fl. Rum. et Bith., vol. ii. p. 873 (non Ker). 
C. mesiacus, J. Gay in Plant. Exsice, Balans. Orient., n. 33 (non Gawler). 
This lovely little species was first described by Herbert, in 
1841, in this Magazine, as a variety of C. annulatus, with the 
caution, however, that it might prove a distinct species. 
Such it has since been justly regarded by Mr. Baker, from 
whose valuable enumeration of the Croci, published in the 
Gardeners’ Chronicle, I have taken the synonymy quoted 
above. It is here figured, for the first time, from specimens 
sent me by my friend Mr. Elwes, F.L.S., who gathered it in 
Asia Minor, probably (he tells me) near Smyrna, in March, 
1874. Here it was originally discovered by Friwaldsky , and 
collected later by Balansa, who observes that it is abundant 
on hills about 3000 feet high, flowering in March. It has 
also been found in Macedonia and Thrace by Grisebach. 
Besides its colour, C. chrysanthus has its sweet odour to 
recommend it; and it appears to be a very free bloomer. 
The abrupt bases of the coats of the corm, which are smooth 
MAY Ist, 1875. 
