Tas. 8040. 
COLCHICUM HYDROPHILUM. 
Asia Minor. . 
Lin1acem.—Tribe CoLcHICER. 
Cotcnicum, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 821; Baker in 
Journ. Linn, Soe. vol. xvii. p. 423. 
Colchicum hydrophilum, Siehe in Gard. Chron. 1901, vol. i. p. 102, fig. 43; 
Irving in The Garden, 1904, vol. i. p. 208, cum fig.; species ex affinitate 
C. libanotici, Ehrenb. (B. M. t. 8015), perianthii segmentis acutioribus 
obscurius roseis differt. 
Cormus 1 poll. diam., tunicis atro-brunneis. olia perianthii tubo zquilonga, 
demum 6 poll. longa, 2 poll. lata, oblongo-acuminata. Flores 3-5, fascicu- 
latim dispositi, rosei. Perianthii tubus 3 poll. longus; lobi oblongi, 
subacuti, 1 poll. longi, 3 lin. lati. Stamina perianthii lobis dimidio 
breviora; filamenta media parte incrassata; anther lutew, filamentis 
dimidio breviores. Styli albi, quam stamina paullo longiora. Capsula 
3-loba ; semina globosa, pallide brunnea. 
Colchicum is a genus in which many of the species are 
separated by characters which become more or less obscured 
when the specimens are dried; hence the advantage of 
studying them in the living state, and of having them 
figured, as has been done in the present volume in the case 
of CO, libanoticum, Ehrenb, (t. 8015), and C. Stevent, Kunth 
(t. 8025). To the former of these the present plant bears 
great resemblance, and might, indeed, be almost regarded 
as a variety with darker coloured flowers. Corms were 
first obtained in 1898 from the Taurus Mountains, where 
the plant grows at between 3,200 and 6,500 feet altitude. 
In this locality during part of the year, abundant moisture 
is provided by the melting snow, while at another 
period the soil is sufficiently dry to enable the corms to 
thoroughly ripen. | 
Unlike many species of the genus, UO. hydrophilum has a 
somewhat prolonged flowering period, having been in 
flower for six weeks before our figure was taken in 
February last from a plant in the Alpine House at Kew, 
the corms of which were purchased in 1902 from Mr. 
W. Siehe of Mersina. 
Deser.—Corm an inch in diameter, tunics dark brown. 
Leaves at the time of flowering as long as the perianth- 
OcToBER Ist, 1905. 
