Tas. 6078. 
COLCHICUM speciosum. 
Native of the Caucasus. 
Nat. Ord. Metanruacea.—Tribe CoLcHicem. 
Genus Concuicum, Journ. 3 (Endl. Gen. Plant., p. 137). 
CoLcuicum speciosum; robustum, hysteranthum, cormo magnit. judglandis, 
foliis 4-5 late elliptico-lanceolatis, perianthii late purpurei tubo crassitie 
penn anserine 6-12-pollicari, limbo 5 poll. diam. segmentis ellipticis 
apice rotundatis concoloribus non tessellatis, antheris elongatis flavis, 
stigmatibus subunilateralibus integris apicibus incurvis perianthii seg- 
mentis multo brevioribus, 
Cotcuicum speciosum, Stev. in Mem. Soc. Nat. Mosc., vol. vii. p. 265, t. 
15; Kunth Enum., vol. iv. p. 139; Hohen. Enum. Pl. Talusch., p- 23; 
Koch in Linnea, vol. xxii. p. 258; Ledeb. Fl. Ross., vol. iv. p. 204. 
The largest known species of the genus, and a very hand- 
Some one, a native of the countries bordering the Caucasus 
Tange on the south, and extending thence into Persia, if, as 
appears to be the case, a Ghilan plant of Aucher Eloi 
(n. 5370) is the same species. Ledebour in his Flora Rossica, 
says that it inhabits the provinces of Mingrelia, Iberia, the 
Suwant, Lenkoran, and the south-west shores of the Cas- 
pian sea. It has been for some time known to amateurs in 
England, though not hitherto figured in any English work. 
One of its nearest allies is the very broad-leaved C. dyzantinum 
(Tab. nost. 1122), which has a broader leaf, a much smaller 
paler flower, and broad short anthers; and is a native of 
Constantinople. 
C. speciosum has been cultivated for many years in Kew, 
but the specimen here figured, which is much more deeply 
coloured than the Kew ones, was sent by Messrs. Barr and 
Sugden, who have a fine collection of the species of this 
autiful genus. ; : 
Drscr. Corm the size of a walnut, clothed with rich 
chestnut-brown shining sheathes, of which one, as broad as 
the finger in diameter, extends four to five inches up the 
JANUARY Ist, 1874. 
