CROCUS LONGIFLORUS. 



'63 



Stamens about three-quarters of an inch (0.019 metre) in length. Anthers hastate, tapering upwards, 

 orange, about twice the length of the orange Filament. Pollen Gram -^ of an inch (0.00006 metre) 

 in diameter, slightly papillose, orange. 



Pistil slightly exceeding the anthers; the Style dividing at about the level of the base of the anthers 

 and produced into bright scarlet stigmata, which are entire, or broken up into capillary divisions. 



Scape, one or more within each set of sheathing leaves, about an inch and a half (0.038 metre) high 

 at the flowering-time and produced to a height of three inches (0.075 metre) at the maturity °of 

 the capsule. 



Capsule barely three-quarters of an inch (0.019 metre) in length; purple. 



Seed -±5 of an inch (0.0021 metre) broad and t l of an inch (0.025 metre) high, with a rich red papillose 



surface; the raphe, chalaza and caruncle but slightly prominent, of the same colour as the body 



of the seed. 



Crocus longiflorus is an abundant species between longitude i2°and 16 30' east, 

 and latitude 35 50' and 41 o' north; in Southern Italy, Sicily, and the islets to 

 the west, and Malta. It has also been recorded from Dalmatia, and Dr. Kerner's 

 herbarium contains a Crocus labelled "Dalmatia", which appears to be this species; 

 its range of latitude, therefore, may perhaps be extended to 44 or 45 north. 



I must here notice a record by Herbert of the occurrence of C. Salzmanni on 

 the mountains near Tunis. If a Crocus has ever been found there it is highly 

 improbable that C. Salzmanni, which belongs to a group limited to the extreme 

 west of the area of distribution, should occur so far east as Tunis; I would suggest 

 the probability of its being C. longiflorus. 



In Southern Italy it occurs on the Sierra Mongiana, near Salerno; on Monte 

 de la Stella, near Psestum; the Sierra de San Bruno; at Santa Palo; Area; Rosarno; 

 and hills between Arinosi and Anoja, in Lower Calabria. 



In Sicily it is abundant about Messina and Palermo ; at Baieda (Baida) ; Santa 

 Maria de Gesu; and in the Val de Mazzaro (Mazzara) ; and is said by Parlatore 

 to occur throughout the whole of the island, and on the islands of Favignana, 

 Levanzo and Maretimo on its west coast. Its occurrence in Malta was known to 

 Herbert, who described the Malta form as a variety, under the name of mclitensis; 

 but although it is more often striped and feathered than the common form found 

 in Calabria, it has no claim to rank as a constant variety. Delicata, in his Flora 

 Mclitensis, names Zalia, Dinyli, Metahleb, and Boschetto, as localities in Malta where 

 it occurs. 



Crocus longiflorus has often been confounded with C. Thomasii, a form of C. 

 sativus occurring in the south-east of Italy. The saffron-like pistil more nearly 

 resembles that of Crocus salivas than that of any other Crocus and there is a 

 general resemblance in the two species; but the former is easily distinguished by 

 its monophyllous proper spathe, its glabrous leaves, spherical pollen grain, and red 

 seed; and none of the forms of C. salivas are veined and feathered. 



