CROCUS NUDIFLORUS. 93 



Pistil exceeding stamens, from an inch and a quarter (0.032 metre) to an inch and three-quarters (0.044 



metre) in height from the throat, the Style dividing at the level of the summit of the anthers, and 



produced into a compact mass of branching, rich orange stigmata. 

 Scape three-quarters of an inch (0.019 metre) high at the flowering-time, produced to a length of four 



or five inches (0.100 — 0.125 metre) at the maturity of the capsule. 

 Capsule narrow, about seven-eighths of an inch (0.022 metre) in height, bearing an awn-like prolongation 



of the remains of the tube and proper spathe. 

 Seed oblong, three-sixteenths of an inch (0.005 metre) high, pale fawn-colour; the chalaze, raphe, and 



caruncle lighter in colour than the body of the seed. 



The main continental range of this species consists of a narrow belt, extending 

 from seven and a half degrees west to four and a half degrees east longitude, and 

 from forty-two and a half to forty-four and a half degrees north latitude, ranging 

 from the sea level to a height of nearly six thousand feet, in Galicia, the Asturias, 

 the Pyrenees, the Landes, Aquitania, Herault, and the Cevennes. It has also been 

 recorded from Chataigneraie in the Department of Vendee, lat. 46 40' north, about 

 two degrees north of the general area of its occurrence. The following are some 

 of its recorded habitats: the Sierra Merrama in Galicia, Gijon in the Asturias, San. 

 tander and Pancorbo in northern Spain, Biarritz, Bayonne, Dax, Saint Sever, Eaux 

 Bonnes, Gedre, Gavarnie, Bagneres de Bigorre, Valley d'Aure, Apremont, Gers a 

 Penassac, between Eaux Bonnes and Pau, Pare du Pau, Peyrehorade, Angles du 

 Tarn, Les Corbieres, Vallee du Lys near Luchon, Mont Rion in the Central Pyrenees, 

 and Espinousse in Herault. There are also several localities in the midland counties 

 of England where C. nudiflorus may be mistaken for an indigenous plant — hilly 

 pasture field below Woolstanton Church, one mile from Newcastle, Staffordshire 

 (Mrs. Edwards); Adlington, near Wigan, (Mrs. J. Hoare); Norfolk? (Mrs. J. Hoare); 

 near Shrewsbury, in the Quarry Walks, about The Dingle, in the grass field and 

 the adjoining field to the west, (T. H. Archer Hind); meadows near Manchester, 

 very common; fields at Savile Green, near Halifax; near Derby, (J. Whittaker); 

 Rochdale, (Mrs. Atkins) ; Warrington, and meadows near Nottingham — but its being 

 really indigenous is very doubtful, as it occurs nowhere in northern France, and 

 the continental area of the species is distant from the English habitats by fully six 

 pegrees of latitude. 



There are many records of the occurrence of C. nudiflorus in central and 

 southern Spain, but I believe the whole of these are erroneous; I can identify 

 none of the herbarium specimens under the name of nudiflorus from central Spain 

 and the Sierra Nevada with the Pyrenean plant. The Crocus I have on several 

 occasions o-athered on the Sierra Guadarrama and other localities in central Spain, 



