142 ENGLISH BOTANY. 
Amongst Pteris and in open places. Very rare. In several places in 
the New Forest about Lyndhurst, Hants. Isle of Wight (Mr. A. G. 
More). Sent to Mr. W. G. Smith, by Mrs. Gulson, from “ Bitton 
Wood, near Teignmouth, Devon.” (Seem. Journ. of Bot. 1865, p. 
220.) 
England. Perennial. Summer. 
Flowering corm about the size of a hazel-nut, with numerous pale 
chestnut fibrous coats; the fibres loose and parallel below, but inter- 
lacing and forming meshes above, which, however, are by no means 
always elongate as is sometimes stated ; bulbules at the base of the 
corm numerous, about as large as cae ‘seed. Stem 1 to 3 feet high. 
Leaves shorter than the spike, } to } inch broad, tapering to an acute 
point, glaucous. Flowers 3 to "10, all turned one way. Perianth 14 
to 13 inch long, rich crimson- purple, the three lowest segments each 
with a purple line enclosing a paler spot at the apex. Anthers yellow, 
about $ inch long. Stigmas oblanceolate, at first folded, afterwards 
flat. Capsule about 2 $ ‘inch long, obiong-turbinate-trigonous, with 
three slightly elevated keels on the top. Seeds reddish- brown, with a 
wing scarcely so broad as the solid portion. 
This no doubt is a sub- -species of G. communis, differing principally 
from the typical form in its smaller size, more elonzate corms, 
narrower leaves, fewer smaller and darker purple flowers with shorter 
and more acuminated spathes, shorter capsules and smaller seeds. 
The differences which are alleged to exist in the basal cusps of the 
anthers, and in the form of the divisions of the stigma, I am unable to 
perceive after cultivating the two sub-species side by side for six 
years; but G. Illyricus is alway sa little later in flowering than G. (eu)- 
communis.* 
From my own observation of G. Ilyricus growing in the New Forest, 
as well as from that of all the botanists who have seen it there, there 
can be no doubt that the plant is truly native in that locality. In the 
Isle of Wight, 1 believe but a single specimen was found. 
Lesser Gladiolus. 
French, Glaieul commun. German, Gemeine Siegwurz. 
The cultivated varieties of Gladiolus are among the most ornamental plants of our 
gardens, and are fast becoming the pets of the florist. Blooming in autumn, tall, 
handsome, richly coloured in great variety, and admirably adapted for planting in 
masses, they are in every way a necessity to the gardener, and of very easy culture. 
* Ina paper written by mein the “Journal of Botany” for 1863, p.134, I stated 
my belief that G. dubius, Parl. was simply a synonym of G. eu-communis. Since that 
paper was written, I have cultivated G. dubius, and find it flowers about three weeks 
earlier than G. (eu)-communis, and has the capsule considerably longer and oblong- 
fusiform, not oblong-turbinate as in the common plant, so that it must be considered 
as a distinct sub-species.—Eb. 
