HISTORY AND LITERATURE. + , 



much as the multitudinous garden varieties of C. vermis are placed together with 

 the few other species then known, which are generally difficult to distinguish and 

 identify. 



1809. — The first attempt to classify the genus was made by Adrian Hardy 

 Haworth, in a paper entitled " On the Cultivation of Crocuses, with a short account of 

 the different species known at /resent." The paper was read before the Horticultural 

 Society of London, February 7th., 1809, and published at p. 122, vol. 1. of The 

 Transactions, accompanied by a plate (Tab. IV.) of C. stellaris. He describes thirteen 

 forms, eight of which Sabine, in his subsequent paper, recognised as species. 



These are grouped as Piiigeri, or species with bearded throats, including C. 

 vermis and its varieties; and Depilati, those which are unbearded, including "flori- 

 bundus", (apparently C. aureus,) lagenceflorus (also C aureus), fiavus, {sulphureus), 

 revolutus, (susianus), stellaris, fragrans, (versicolor), cireiunscissus, (biflorus), nudifloriis, 

 serotinus, and officinalis (sativus) ; the last, however, should have been placed under 

 his group Piiigeri, the throat being bearded. 



181 7. — -The earliest attempt at a monograph of the genus, and the proper sepa- 

 ration of the species, was made in 181 7, by Dr. K. L. Goldbach, in his Monographic 

 generis Croci tentamen, Memoires de la Societe imperiale dc Naturalistcs de Moscou 

 vol. v. p. 142-161, including descriptions of C. minimus, C. biflorus, C. reticulatus, 

 C. susianus, C. mcesiacus, C. aureus, C. sulphureus, C. versicolor, C. serotinus, C. sa- 

 tivus, "C. autumnalis," C. Pallasii, C. speciosus, C. nudifloriis, and C. niedius. The 

 synonymy, however, is somewhat uncertain. In the previous year Goldbach published 

 his Disscrtatio Croci Historiam Botanico-Mcdicam sisteus (Moscow, 1816, 8vo. 54 pp.). 

 1826. — Bouche made a similar attempt in his Gattuug Crocus in the Linncea, 

 vol. i. p. 227-233, which was scarcely an advance on Goldbach's earlier memoir. 



1826. — Antonio Bertoloni published at Bologna his Descrizione de Zafferani 

 Italian i. 



1826. — Michael Tenore, in his Memoria suite specie c varictd de Crochi delta 

 Flora Napolitana, described and figured four south Italian species: C. vein us, C.pusillus, 

 (C. biflorus of Miller), C. Imperati, and C. Thomasii. Descriptions of the Italian species 

 were also given in his Flora Napolitana, published in 1836. 



1827. — To the late J. Gay the science of Crocology is indebted for a series of 

 contributions largely in advance of anything that had been previously done. Gay 

 had collected from wild sources most of the known species and many species new 

 to science, which he for many years cultivated in the garden of the Luxembourg, 

 Paris. He also had a series of between eighty and ninety fine drawings of 

 thirty species, executed by several French artists; these are now in the possession 

 of Sir J. D. Hooker. Gay's first publication was an exhaustive review of Bertoloni' s 

 and Tenore's previous writings (Feruss. Bull. Sc. Nat., vol. xi. p. 346-372, Anno 



G 



