LILIACER. AS) 
SPECIES I-COLCHICUM AUTUMNALE, Lim. 
Puatrs MDXLIV. MDXLY. 
Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ. et Helv. Vol. X. Tab CCCCXXVI. 
Billot, Fl. Gall. et Germ. Exsicc. No. 2540. 
Leaves 3 to 4, ascending, erect, strapshaped-elliptical (the inner 
ones sometimes strapshaped), not undulated at the edges, appearing 
in early spring after the flowers and with the capsule. Flowers 1 to 
3, rarely more, pinkish-lilac, not tesselated. Stigmas elongate, lateral. 
In meadows. Local, and rather rare, though distributed over the 
greater part of England. Not native in Scotland, but said to be 
naturalised near Alloa, on the Forth, and in a deserted orchard at the 
foot of the Pentland Hills, eight or ten miles from Edinburgh. Very 
local and rare in Ireland, occurring about Kilkenny and near Carlow, 
the banks of Shannon below Limerick, and a few other places. 
England, [Scotland,] Ireland. Perennial. Autumn (rarely retarded 
until Spring). 
Corm flowering when the size of a small walnut; at the time of 
flowering nearly flat on one face, with a blunt raised ridge down the 
flat face, the other side very convex, the base sloped away down 
towards the flat side, the whole enveloped in a shining chestnut 
coat, on the outside of which there are opaque dark brown coats ex- 
tending upwards nearly to the surface of the ground. Ovary buried 
at the time of flowering. Tube of the perianth 4 to 5 inches above 
the ground. Perianth s segments 1} to 1} inch long, oblong-elliptical ; 
the inner segments rather smaller. Sty les hooked at the apex, at first 
as long as ‘the stamens, afterwards exceeding them. Anthers about 
1 inch’ long, yellow. Leaves 6 inches to 1 foot long, deep dull green, 
etcily shining. Capsule 1} to 12 inch long , deeply 3-lobed, trans- 
versely rugose, . splitting at the apex along the ‘septa. Seeds about the 
size of hemp-seed, globular, chestnut, roughened. 
A remarkable form of Colchicum autumnale is figured at Plate 
MDXLV. Smith states that it was obtained by Mr. Salmon from a 
meadow near Devizes, Wilts, flowering in the months of April and 
- May. The perianth segments are str apshaped, g greenish-white, and the 
anthers destitute of pollen. It is a monstrosity rather than a variety, 
but so remarkable a one that it has been thought advisable to republish 
the plate. 
Meadow Saffron. 
French, Colchique d’automne. German, Herbst Zeitlose. 
The bulb of this plant has long been valued in medicine. It was known to the 
Greek physicians as a poison, under the name of xodxtxér, but was little em- 
ployed in medicine until so lately as 1763, when it was recommended at the same 
time with monkshood and other powerful vegetalle drugs, by Baron Storck of 
VOL. IX GG 
