CROCUS SATIVUS AND ALLIED SPECIES. 



The following forms, which have heretofore been considered entitled to specific 

 rank, I have, with the concurrence of Mr. Baker, grouped as varieties of C. sativus 

 (29), and of C. hadriaticus (30) ; they compose a well-marked and isolated section of 

 which C. sativus may be taken as the type. 



In the whole of them the leaves are ciliated, appearing with the autumnal 

 flowers; their pistils are scarlet and entire; the pollen grains are of irregular out- 

 line and vary much in size; the proper spathe is diphyllous; the throat bearded. 

 The corm tunic consists of fine silky reticulated fibre, produced to a considerable 

 height above the summit of the corm; the seeds are madder-brown in colour. 



Ranging from Italy to Kurdistan, through 35 of longitude, C. sativus presents 

 a great variety of forms, between which it is impossible to draw any definite line. 

 I take the cultivated Saffron as the type, though no precisely identical form is 

 known in a wild state. 



