CROCUS. 81 



14. C. cYPRius Boiss. et Kotzcliy in linger & Kots. Cyprus, 

 203 ; Maw, Monogr. t. 57. — Corm ^ in. diam. ; tunics of matted 

 parallel fibres, cut round at the base. Basal spatlie absent. 

 Leaves 3-4 to a tuft, as high as the flower, very narrow, with 

 reflexed edges and a narrow white band. Proper spathe mono- 

 phyllous. Perianth- tube little exserted ; segments under an inch 

 long, bright lilac with a rich purple blotch at the base ; throat 

 concolorous, glabrous. Anthers orange, twice the length of the 

 bright red filaments. Style-branches entire, slender, orange-red. 



Hab. Cyprian Olympus, alt. 5000 ft. ; flowering early in April. 



15. C. MINIMUS DC. Fl. Franc, in. 243 ; Red. Lil. t. 81 ; 

 Reich. Ic. Crit. t. 491, fig. 1267; Ic. Germ. tab. 359, fig. 795; 

 Maw, Monogr. t. 19. C. namis DC. C. iusuhiris Gay, ex parte. — 



-Corm globose, ^ in. diam. ; tunics of matted parallel fibres. Basal 

 spatlie present. Leaves 3-5 to a tuft, overtopping the flowers, 

 very narraw, with reflexed edges and a white central band. Proper 

 spathe diphyllous. Perianth-tube shortly exserted ; segments 

 obtuse, f-1 in. long, violet, the outer buff on the outside, with 

 three usually very distinct feathered dark purple stripes ; throat 

 concolorous, glabrous. Anthers pale yellow, about equalling the 

 white filaments. Style-branches yellow, entire, usually overtopping 

 the anthers. Seeds scarlet. 



Hab. Lowlands of Corsica and Sardinia, where it begins to flower in 

 January. In English gardens it flowers in March. 



16. C. coKsicus (Vanucci) Maw, Monogr. t. 21. C. insularis 

 Gay, ex parte. — Corm |-J in. diam. ; tunics of matted parallel 

 fibres. Basal spathe present. Leaves 4-6 to a tuft, as high as the 

 flower, very narrow, with revolute edges and a distinct white central 

 band. Proper spathe monophyllous. Perianth-tube little exserted; 

 segments 1-1^ in. long, lilac, the outer buff outside, usually marked 

 with three dark purple feathered stripes ; throat glabrous, con- 

 colorous. Anthers orange, much longer than the white filaments. 

 Style-branches red, fimbriate at the tip. Seeds pale buff". 



Hab. Mountains of Corsica, from 2000 to 6000 ft., where it flowers from 

 February to May. 



17. C. VERSICOLOR Ker in Bot. Mag. t. 1110; Maw, Monogr. 

 t. 16. C. fragrans Haw. C. lieinwardtii Reich. Ic. Crit. t. 938, 

 fig. 1261. C. crestensis Eugene. — Corm h-i in. diam. ; tunics of 

 fine matted parallel fibres. Basal spathe present. Leaves 4-5 to 

 a tuft, as high as the flowers, very narrow, with revolute edges and 

 a distinct white central band. Proper spatlie monophyllous or 

 diphyllous. Perianth-tube exserted ; segments ^i-l^ in. long, 

 pale or darker purple, the outer purple outside, usually distinctly 

 striped and feathered with darker purple ; throat glabrous, whitish 

 or pale yellow. Anthers yellow, twice as long as the white filament. 

 Style-branches bright orange-yellow, entire, equalling or overtopping 

 the anthers. Seeds orange-red. 



Hab. Nice, Mentone and the South of France northward to Grenoble, 

 ascending to 4000 ft. Flowers at end of February and early in March. Long 

 known in cultivation. Sabine, in Trans. Hort. Soc. vii. 457, tab. xi. figs. 6 — 9, 



