27. CROCUS MEDIUS. 



Section: Involucrati ; reticulati (Herbert J: Schizostigma; autumnal {Baker). 



Crocus medius, Balbis, Add. Fl. Pedem. p. 83; and Misc. Bot. 1, p. 6; Bert. Desc. Zafferan Ital. vol. 

 ii, p. 150; and Fl. Ital, 1, p. 218; Gay in Feruss. Bull. Soc. Nat. xi, pp. 352 & 372; and two 

 drawings Bibl. J. D. Hooker; Herbert in Bot. Reg. 1845, vol. xxxi, tab. 37, fig. 5; and drawing, 

 Lindl. Libr. R. Hort. Soc. Lond. ; Hist. Crocus, sp. 20, p. 22; from Journ. Hort. Soc. Lond. ii, 

 p. 268; Woods, Tour. Fl. p. 357; Parlat., Fl. Ital. iii, p. 239; Ardoino, Fl. Alp. Marit. p. 364; 

 Moggridge Contrib. Fl. Mentone, tab. xx; Baker, Rev. Sp. Crocus in Card. Chron. 1873, p. 

 1632; List Crocus Journ. R. Hort. Soc, new ser., vol. iv, 1877; and Syst. Iridac. in Journ. Linn. 

 Soc, Bot., vol. xvi, p. 85; G. Maw, Synops. Genus Crocus in Gard. Chron., new ser., vol. xvi, p. 

 429; in The Garden, vol. xiv, p. 420, plate cliii, fig. 10; vol. xxi, No. 532, p. 67; and Hist. Crocus 

 in Journ. Linn. Soc, Bot., vol. xix, p. 372. 



Cormus circiter £ poll. (0.019 metr.) latus; tunicse fibri validuli reticulati. Vaginae quam spatha 

 breviores. Folia ad florationem intra vaginas celata, in vere pedalia (0.300 metr.) et ultra, duo 

 rarius tria in cormo, T 3 -g- — \ poll. (0.0050 — 0.0063 metr.) lata, carina angusta, canaliculi laterales 

 lati aperti, tricostati. Spatha monophylla, foliacea, 4 poll. (0.100 metre.) longa, fauci ferme 

 asqualis. Perianthium: faux glabra, ferme alba, intus venosa; segmenta ovato-lanceolata, 2 poll. 

 (0.050 metr.) longa, £ poll. (0.019 metr.) lata, interiora quam exteriora paullo breviora, splendide 

 purpurea, basi pallidiora, intus 6-7 lineis purpureis, trienti longitudinis aequantia. Antheras pallide 

 aurantiacce, filamento flavo bis aequantes. Stylus coccineus, ad apices antherarum fissus. Stigmata 

 patentia, ramulosa, coccinea. Semina ovoidea aurantiaca. 



Corm a little broader than high, about three-quarters of an inch (0.010 metre) in diameter under 

 cultivation; much smaller in the wild plant. Tunic of strong, wiry, reticulated fibre; the Basal 

 Tunic of radiating, occasionally branched fibres; the Cap reticulated, produced upwards into a 

 bunch of unbranched fibres. 



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

 falling short of the proper spathe. 



Proper Leaves two, or occasionally three, dormant at the flowering-time, produced in the sprin°- to a 

 length of ten or twelve inches (0.250 — 0.300 metre) three-sixteenths of an inch (0.005 metre) 

 broad, the keel one-sixth the width of the blade, margins of keel and blade slightly ciliated, 

 lateral channels broad and open, containing three low ridges. 



Basal Spathe from an inch and a half (0.038 metre) to two inches (0.050 metre) long. Proper Spa/he 

 monophyllous, foliaceous, four inches (0.100 metre) long, exceeding the sheathing leaves and 

 reaching to within an inch (0.025 metre) of the throat. 



Perianth: Tube from four to five inches (0.100 — 0.125 metre) in length from the ovary to the throat. 

 Throat unbearded, nearly white, and internally veined with purple. Segments ovato-lanceolate two 

 inches (0.050 metre) in length, and three-quarters to seven-eighths of an inch (0.019 — 0.022 metre) 

 broad; the inner somewhat shorter than the outer segments, bright purple, internally veined towards 

 the base with dark purple lines. 



