146 



THE GENUS CROCUS. 



Conn small nearly spherical, stoloniferous, from half an inch (0.013 metre) to two-thirds of an inch 



(0.017 metre) broad and from a third of an inch (0.0084 metre) to half an inch (0.013 metre) high. 



Tunic of delicately reticulated fibre, produced upwards into a bunch of short pointed fibres. The 



Basal Tunic of fine radiating fibres covers the bottom of the corm. 

 Sheathing leaves about four, from half an inch (0.013 metre) to three inches (0.075 metre) in length, 



shorter than the proper spathe. 

 Proper Leaves about three, just appearing above the sheathing-leaves at the flowering-time and produced 



to a length of fifteen inches (0.375 metre) at the maturity of the capsule, three-eighths of an inch 



(0.010 metre) broad, glabrous, the keel one-fifth of the width of the blade, the lateral channels wide 



and open. 

 Basal Spathe about an inch and a half (0.038 metre) in length, falling short of the ovary. Proper Spathe 



monophyllous, about two and a half inches (0.063 metre) long and reaching to within half an inch 



(0.013 metre) of the throat. 

 Perianth: Tube violet, about three inches (0.075 metre) in length from the ovary to the throat. Throat 



unbearded, white internally. Segments an inch and a half (0.038 metre) in length and five-eighths 



of an inch (0.016 metre) 'broad ; the inner segments emarginate, rich bright purple, with darker 



purple markings near the summit; the inner segments paler in colour than the outer, varying in 



colour to white, or variegated with purple and white. 

 Stamens shorter than the pistil, about an inch (0.025 metre) high; the Anthers orange, five-eighths of 



an inch (0.016 metre) long, and a little longer than the white glabrous Filament. Pollen Grain 



larger than in any other species -^ of an inch (0.00009 metre) in diameter, papillose, orange. 

 Pistil about an inch and a quarter (0.032 metre) in height; the Style dividing at the level of the summit 



of the anthers and produced into a compact mass of spreading sub-entire orange stigmata. 

 Scape an inch and a half (0.038 metre) high at the flowering-time and produced to a height of three 



or four inches (0.075 — 0.100 metre) at the maturity of the capsule. 

 Capsule about three-quarters of an inch (0.019 metre) long and five-sixteenths of an inch (0.008 metre) 



broad. 

 Seed nearly spherical, one-eighth of an inch (0.0032 metre) in diameter, papillose, fawn-coloured; the 



chalaza, raphe and caruncle of the same colour as the body of the seed. 



Crocus banaticus is a native of woods, thickets, and alpine pastures up to an 

 altitude of six thousand feet; between latitude 44° 30' and 49° o' north, and longitude 

 1 6° o' and 29° 30' east, from Sclavonia, throughout southern Hungary, and Tran- 

 sylvania, to western Podolia. In Sclavonia it has been recorded from Mount Tocag, 

 Fvecevo, Zwecewo, and Agram; woods and hills about Kreuz, (Kreutz, Creutz) in 

 Croatia. The De Candolle Herbarium at Geneva contains specimens from Bosnia. 

 It is abundant in Hungary and Transylvania, as in grassy places near Skokarak, 

 and about Kapellenberg, at an altitude of two thousand feet; sub-alpine meadows 

 South Banat; thickets and damp woods, and wooded mountains, Northern Banat; 

 flowering in February and March; on the Fogaraser, Arpaser, and Kergersorer 

 Mountains; on the Kuhorn, and at Korondseys, near Rodna (Radna), at altitudes 

 of from five thousand to six thousand feet; in the beech forests at Salomenberge 

 and Waldwiesen, near Csiklova, flowering from February to April; in the woods at 

 Szaldobagy, near Grosswardein, May 4th., Lesnyck (Lesnek); Mehadia; and Koshair, 

 near Orsova (Thermes Hercules); summit of Mount Csucsula Vecse; in woods near 



