400 THE COLCHICUM FAMILY. 



HABITATS AND LOCALITIES. 

 1. Yelloav Water-flag — {Iris Pseud- Acorus.) 



Ponds and marshes, abundant everywhere. Fl. June, July. 



Curds, i. 14:0 ; E. B. ix. 578; Baxter, ii. 82. 

 The tall, upright, sword-like leaves, and great golden fleur-de-lis, elegantly 

 pencilled with deep purple, render this plant strikingly ornamental. It will grow 

 in a dry garden, and is not infrequent in suburban ones, though much lacking in 

 its native splendour for want of water. 



2. PuKPLE Spring Crocus — {Crocus vermis.) 

 Meadows by the side of the river at the Cheadle end of Northen 

 Lane, flooding the ground with lilac ; and the same in a meadow 

 opposite the gable of Hough End Hall. (Mr. Knight.) Plentiful in a 

 meadow belonging to Agecroft Farm, about three-quarters of a mile 

 from Agecroft Bridge. (J. P.) Fl. March, April. 



E. B. V. 344. 

 Formerly abounded in the fields near St. George's Church, Hulrae, but now 

 crushed to death by bricks and mortar. 

 Common iu gardens. 



3. Autumnal Crocus — {Crocus nudiflorus.) 

 In meadows, not uncommon. About Prestwich, above the Dells. 

 Near Northen ; Jackson's Boat ; Thornham; Eccles (J. S.) ; Reddish 

 (Mr. Hammond) ; Bramhall (Mr. Isaac Williamson) ; Thelwall, near 

 Lymm, &c. Fl. September. 



E. B. vii. 401; Baxter, ii. 137. 

 Often mistaken for the colchicum, or meadow saffron, but the latter has six 

 stamens, whereas in the crocus there are only three. 



Id gardens there are grown numerous species of Iris, of all the colours of the 

 rainbow, and immediately known by their equitant leaves and three immense 

 petaloid stigmas, of the same colour as the perianth ; many more of Gladiolus or 

 sword-lily, soon told by their brilliant and rather irregular three-stamened flowers, 

 in tall unilateral racemes ; many varieties of Crocus, including the " cloth of 

 gold," or Susiauus ; the gorgeous tiger-flowers, or Tigridias; and in green-liouses 

 beautiful Ixias and allied plants from the Cape of Good Hope. 



CXXX.— THE COLCHICUM FAMILY. Melanthdcea. 



A small family, in figure somewhat liliaceous, but varying extremely 

 in appearance, and different from all the preceding in having the 

 carpels separable. The anthers open otittvards, and the flowers are 



