CROCUS CANCEL1. ATI'S. 183 



Sheathing Leaves about four, from half an inch (0.013 metre) to three or four inches (0.075 — 0.100 metre) 

 in length; as long as or exceeding the length of the proper spathes. 



Proper Leaves four or five, glabrous, just appearing beyond the sheathing leaves at the flowering-time, 

 and produced in the spring to a length of ten or twelve inches (0.250 — 0.300 metre), one-twelfth 

 of an inch (0.0021 metre) broad; the keel prominent, one-fourth the width of the blade, the open 

 lateral channels containing three prominent ridges. 



Proper Spa/he diphyllous, two inches (0.050 metre) long in the type, shorter in var. cilicicus. 



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

 unbearded, yellow. Segments from an inch and a half (0.038 metre) to an inch and three-quarters 

 (0.044 metre) long, and half an inch (0.013 metre) broad; varying from white to light purple, self- 

 coloured or feathered with purple markings. 



Stamens about five-eighths of an inch (0.016 metre) long, falling short of the pistil; the Anthers hastate, 

 tapering upwards, orange, about twice the length of the white Filament. Pollen Grain —^ of an 

 inch (0.00006 metre) in diameter, papillose, orange. 



Pistil an inch and a quarter (0.032 metre) in height, much exceeding the stamens; the Style dividing 

 at the level of the summit of the anthers, and produced into a compact bunch of finely divided 

 orange stigmata. 



Scape at the flowering-time an inch (0.025 metre) high, produced in the spring at the maturity of the 

 capsule, to a height of three inches (0.075 metre). According to Herbert, several scapes and simul- 

 taneous flowers occur. 



Capsule about an inch (0.025 metre) in length, and half an inch (0.013 metre) broad. 



Seed one-fifth of an inch (0.0050 metre) high, and one-seventh of an inch (0.0036 metre) broad, slightly 

 papillose, rose coloured, ripening to dull red; the prominent raphe, chalaza and caruncle of the 

 same colour as the body of the seed. 



Crocus cancellatus, first described by Herbert in 1841, has since been known 

 under several names, the variable flower-colouring suggesting specific distinction. 

 But in tracing these variations from the eastern to the western limits of its distri- 

 bution, it is impossible to draw any distinct line. It ranges through 29 degrees 

 of longitude, from the Ionian Islands, longitude 2o|° east, to north-west Persia, 

 longitude 49^° east; and through 8 degrees of latitude, from northern Palestine, 

 latitude 33° north, to Armenia and the northern part of Asia Minor, latitude 41 

 north. The white and pale varieties prevail at the western limit of distribution, 

 whilst the eastern forms are blue with various markings. The variety from the 

 Bithynian Olympus is coloured exactly like C. aerius, with which it grows. I do 

 not think that Herbert's damasccnus, Gay's pylantm, C. edulis of Boissier and Blanche, 

 and Kotschy's cilicicus, can be properly separated from the other blue forms, and 

 I therefore place them all under the name of cilicicus, as a variety only, of Herbert's 

 cancellatus. The proper spathes are shorter in cilicicus than in the Greek plant, and 

 are completely hidden by the sheathing leaves. In the var. Mazziaricus, of Herbert, 

 the flowers are white with a bright golden orange throat. Herbert records it from 

 near Carea, on the heights of Megaoros, on an elevated hollow and flat between 

 the highest point of Megaoros and St. Elias, near Diamigliano and on Phanoromani 



