I22 THE GENUS CROCUS. 



Perianth- Tube from three to four inches (0.075-0.. 00 metre) in length from the ovary to the throat 



Throat unbearded, bright orange. Segments lanceolate, narrow and acute about an inch and a half 



(ooTs : metre) long, and three-eighths of an inch (0.010 metre) broad, lilac; the outer surface of 



the outer segments buff, bearing three unbranched purple lines. 

 Stamens from five-eighths to three-quarters of an inch (0.01 6-0.019 metre) high; the orange Anthers 



taperinTunwlrds, barely half an inch (0.013 metre) long, and twice the length of the short yellow 



Filament. Pollen Grain orange, ^ of an inch (0.00006 metre) in diameter. 

 Pistil about three-quarters of an inch (0.0, q metre) high; the Style dividing at the level of the summit 



of the anthers? and produced into entire or slightly toothed pale orange stigmata, which reach to 



the level of, or a little above the summit of the anthers. 

 Scape about three-quarters of an inch (0.0.9 metre) high at the flowering-time, produced to a height 



of an inch and a half (0.038 metre) at the maturity of the capsule. 

 Capsule about three-quarters of an inch (0.019 metre) high. 

 Seed -'- of an inch (0.0038 metre) long, and A of an inch (0.0025 metre) broad, buff, ripening to pale 



brown, covered with minute hairs; the chalaza, raphe, and caruncle very prominent, of a paler 



colour' than the body of the seed. 



Crocus suaveolens is a native of the environs of Rome, and of a limited district 

 to the south, between 41° 10' and 42° north latitude, and 12° 20 and 13° 30 east 

 longitude. Although bordering on the district to the south, in which C. Imperati 

 occurs, the two species do not interlace, but occupy separate areas. C. suaveolens 

 occurs' at Terracina; on calcareous hills near Fundi; by the roadside between Itri 

 and Fundi in ascending from Itri; on the Campagna of Rome; in pine woods near 

 Rome; near Porcareccio ; in the Yal d' Inferno; and also in the Botanic Garden of 

 Rome as a wild plant. 



I have had some misgivings about retaining C. suaveolens as a species distinct 

 from C. Imperati; but whilst the latter is very variable, and approaching C. suaveolens 

 in many of its characters, C. suaveolens never varies in the direction of C. Imperati. 

 The corm is smaller and flatter than that of C. Imperati; the proper spathe is 

 monophyllous; it flowers somewhat later, and the segments, which are narrow and 

 acute, are never feathered like those of C. Imperati; the pollen grain is much 

 smaller; the stigmata, which are of a paler colour than in C. Imperati, are entire 

 or sub-entire, and the corm tunic is more distinctly reticulated. 



It is a species of ready growth, and flowers freely in the open border in March. 

 The flowers expand more freely than those of C. Imperati. 



REFERENCES TO PLATE XV. 



Fig. 1. Flowering-state. March 22nd, actual size. 



Fig. i. With matured leaves and capsule, June 12th, actual size. 



Fig. 3. Diagrammatic dissection of scape, ovary, and spathes. actual size. 



Fig. 4. Stamens and Pistil, magnified two-fold. 



Fig. 5. Pollen Grain, magnified one hundred and fifty-fold. 



Figs. 6 and 7. Stigmata, magnified six-fold. 



Fig. 8. Section of leaf, magnified six-fold. 



Fig. 9. Seed, magnified six-fold. 



Fig. 10. Corm tunics, magnified two-fold: a, cap; b. main tunic: c, basal tunic. 



