8. CROCUS SEROTINUS. 



Section: Involucrati; sub-paralleli (Herbert): Odontostigma; autumnal (Baker). 



Crocus serotinus, Salisb. Parad. Lond. tab. 30, and drawing Bibl. Bot. Brit. Museum; Bot. Mag., sub 

 tab. 1111, and tab. 1267; Loud., Bulb. Plants, tab. 23, fig. 4; Herbert, Hist. Crocus, p. 10, from 

 Journ. Hort. Soc. Lond. 11, p. 256; Gay in Feruss. Bull. Sc. Nat. xi, p. 351; Willk. and Lange, 

 Prod. Fl. Hisp. vol. i, p. 146; Klatt, Revis. Irid. in Linncea, xxxiv, pp. 683 and 720? Baker, Rev. 

 Sp. Crocus in Gard. Chron. 1873, p. 1466; List of Crocuses in Journ. R. Hort. Soc. Lond., new 

 ser., vol. iv, 1877; and Syst. Iridac. in Journ. Linn. Soc, Bot., p. 83; G. Maw in Gard. Chron. Feb. 

 26th., 1876, and p. 234-5, 1879; Synops. Genus Crocus in Gard. Chron., new ser., vol. xvi, p. 234; 

 Hist. Crocus in Journ. Linn. Soc, Bot., vol. xix, p. 372; and in The Garden, vol. xxi, No. 532, p. 66. 



? Crocus autumnalis, Ker, Irid. Gen., p. 77. 



? Crocus colchiciflorus, Reuter. 



Cormus subglobosus, parum latior quam altus; tunica fibro-membranacea. Vaginas quam spatha breviores. 

 Folia glabra, angustissima, -Jj poll. (0.0016 metr.) lata, flore in Novembro subaequalia, in vere 9-10 

 poll. (0.225 — 0.250 metr.) longa. Spatha monophylla, vaginas superans, ferme fauce cequalis. Peri- 

 anthium: faux barbata; segmenta splendide purpurea, lineis 3-5 purpureis penniformibus ornatis, i\ 

 poll. (0.038 metr.) longa et f poll. (0.010 metr.) lata Anthera; flavae, apicibus stigmatorum subas- 

 quantes, filamenta alba. Stylus infra apices antherarum fissus, stigmata aurantiaca subintegra patentia, 

 nonnunquam breviora, aliquando longiora quam antherae. 



Corm oblate, about an inch (0.025 metre) wide, and five-eighths of an inch (0.0 1 6 metre) high. Tunic 

 a thick membrane, splitting up into distinct parallel fibres at the base; the Cap produced upwards 

 as a bunch of fibrous points, half an inch (0.013 metre) above the summit of the corm. 



Sheathing Leaves about three in number, from half an inch (0.013 metre) to two inches (0.050 metre) 

 in length, shorter than the. proper spathe. 



Proper Leaves four or five to a corm, well developed and reaching to the throat at the flowering-time, 

 produced in the spring to a length of ten to twelve inches (0.250 — 0.300 metre), -^ of an inch 

 (0.0025 metre) wide, glabrous. 



Basal Spathe a membranous tube about two inches (0.050 metre) long, much exceeding the ovary. 

 Proper Spathe generally monophyllous, tubular, two (0.050 metre) or two and a half inches (0.063 

 metre) long, exceeding the sheathing leaves, occasionally accompanied by a ligulate bract. 



Perianth; Tube about two and a half or three inches (0.063 — °-°75 metre) in length from the ovary to 

 the throat. Throat bearded, white internally; Segments from an inch and three-quarters (0.044 

 metre) to two inches (0.050 metre) in length, by fully half an inch (0.013 metre) in width, vinous- 

 lilac, the outer surface of the outer segments feathered with darker purple markings. 



Stamens about an inch (0.025 metre) high, shorter than the pistil. Anthers orange, fully half an inch 

 (0.013 metre) in length, a little longer than the glabrous white filament. Pollen Grams y|„ of an 

 inch (0.00008 metre) in diameter, slightly papillose, bright orange. 



Pistil exceeding stamens, about an inch and a quarter (0.032 metre) in height, the Style dividing at 



