CROCUS IRIDIFLORUS. 77 



Pistil much exceeding the stamens, from an inch (0.025 metre) to an inch and a half (0.038 metre) 

 high, the style branching towards the level of the summit of the anthers, and produced into a 

 bunch of capillary branching spreading purple stigmata, which much exceed the anthers. 



Scape at the flowering time from an inch (0.025 metre) to an inch and a half (0.038 metre) high; at 

 the fruiting time from two to three inches (0.060 metre) high. 



Capsule from three-quarters of an inch (0.019 metre) to an inch in length (0.025 metre). 



Seed one-seventh of an inch (0.0036 metre) long, and one-tenth of an inch (0.0025 metre) broad, with 

 a rich red papillose surface, and prominent raphe, chalaza, and caruncle, of the same colour as the 

 body of the seed. 



Crocus iridiflorus occupies a limited district bordering- on the eastern Carpathians, 

 between 44 20' and 48 10' north latitude, and 2\ 30' and 24 o' east longitude, 

 having a range of about 4 of latitude, and 3^° of longitude, in Hungary, Western 

 Transylvania, the Banat, and Wallachia. It is a lowland plant, growing on chalky 

 alluvium in woods and thickets of the lower hills of the district, below an altitude 

 of two thousand feet, at Teckeseto (Tecso, Tiacsova?), Huszt, and Bustyahaza in 

 the Marmaros; in the environs of Hermannstadt; at Torda in the Siebenbergen ; in 

 the environs of Klausenberg, and on Monte Rika; throughout the county of Krasso, 

 and at Oravicza and Cziklova in the Banat, where Dr. Wierzbicki gathered a pure 

 white variety. The only record of its occurrence on the south side of the eastern 

 Carpathians is at Krajova, in Wallachia. 



As a garden plant it was known to Parkinson in the early part of the seven- 

 teenth century, and described by him, in his Paradisus, as C. byzantinus argenteus. 

 Parkinson's name of byzantinus, under which it is known to most English cultivators, 

 was adopted by Ker in 1808; but as the name implies an error as to its geo- 

 graphical distribution, I do not hesitate to adopt in preference Heuffel's later name 

 of iridiflorus, by which it is known in most continental herbaria, and which is 

 moreover, accurately descriptive of the aspect of the flower. Tchihatcheff seems to 

 have been led into the error of recording it as a native of Asia Minor, through 

 the name applied to the plant by Parkinson and by Ker. 



Crocus iridiflorus stands alone amongst the Crocuses; it is the only species 

 with purple stigmata; and the marked difference in the size of the inner and 

 outer segments of the perianth, suggested to Schur its separation as a distinct 

 genus, — Crociris. 



It is an early autumnal species, flowering from the end of September to the 

 end of October; the leaves remaining dormant within the sheathing leaves till the 

 ensuing spring. It is a highly ornamental plant of robust habit, and easy of 

 cultivation, but it is best grown to advantage under the protection of a cold 

 frame. 



