i 7 6 



THE GENUS CROCUS. 



Sheathing Leaves six or seven, from half an inch (0.013 metre) to three and a half inches (0.088 metre) 



in length, reaching to the level of the proper spathe. 

 Proper Leaves five or six, appearing with the flowers and reaching to the level of the throat at the 



flowering-time, produced in the spring to a length of fifteen inches (0.375 metre), ■& of an inch 



(0.002 1 metre) broad, ciliated on the margins of the blade and keel; the lateral channels narrow, 



the reflected margins of the blade nearly meeting the margins of the keel; the keel about half the 



width of the blade. 

 Basal Spathe about two inches (0.050 metre) long, including several scapes. Proper Spathe diphyllous, 



from three to four inches (0.075—0.100 metre) in length, reaching to the level of the sheathing 



leaves. 

 Perianth: Tube from three to four inches (0.075—0.100 metre) in length from the ovary to the throat. 



Throat bearded, white or purple, and orange in var. chrysobelonicus. Segments ovato-lanceolate, an 



inch and a half (0.038 metre) long, and two-thirds of an inch (0.017 metre) broad, pure white, or 



purple towards the base. 

 Stamens falling short of the pistil, about three-quarters of an inch (0.019 metre) in height; the tapering 



orange Anthers three times the length of the short white Filament. Pollen Grains slightly papillose, 



yellow, irregular in form, about -^ of an incn (°-°°°° 6 metre) in diameter. 

 Pistil about an inch (0.025 metre) in height, exceeding the stamens; the Style dividing at the level of 



the middle of the anthers, and produced into entire scarlet stigmata. 

 Scape an inch (0.025 metre) in height at the flowering-time. 

 Capsule and Seed unknown. 



Crocus hadnaticus is a native of Albania, the Ionian Islands, and the Morea; 

 it probably extends as far east as the Island of Syra in the yEgean Sea. A Crocus 

 sparingly collected there on different occasions by Mr. Elwes and myself, seems 

 referable to this species. Its area of distribution would lie between 36^° and 40° 

 north latitude, and 2of and 24^° east longitude. Herbert records it from the hill 

 of Bisdun, in Epirus, where the ancient Dodona once stood; from near Janina 

 (Joannina) in Epirus; and var. chrysobelonicus from the hill of Chrysobeloni, in Santa 

 Maura. I also found it throughout the northern part of Santa Maura, near the 

 Convent of Phaneromia, on the hill to the north-west of Sphakiotes, on the flanks 

 of Scarus, and in other places. Dr. Heldreich sent me specimens of this species, 

 gathered on Mount Omplo (Voidhia?), near Patras. I cannot satisfy myself that 

 C. pcloponncsiacus of Orphanides, gathered at an altitude of three thousand feet on 

 Monte Malevo, near Ajanni (Hajios Joannis), in the Peloponnesus, is separable 

 from C. hadnaticus. Dr. Heldreich has favoured me with Professor Orphanides' 

 type specimens; in these the flowers appear to be pure white; the leaves, though 

 scarcely visible at the flowering-time, are not dormant, as in the case of some 

 autumnal species, but just appear above the sheathing-leaves with the flowers in 

 October. Some corms collected for me by Mr. C. C. Lacaita, on Monte Malevo, 

 produced white flowers accompanied by leaves in October, 1884 and I see nothing 

 to distinguish the plant from C. hadriaticus. 



C. hadriaticus is closely allied to C. sativus and I can detect no satisfactory 



