Ig0 THE GENUS CROCUS. 



rhombic interspaces; the Cap fibre-membranous, produced at the summit into a short hunch of 



fibres. The Basal Tunic of a large radiating mass of unbranched fibres differing from the basal 



tunic of any other species. 

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



falling short of the proper spathes. 

 Proper Leaves four or five, appearing with the flowers, and reaching to their level, produced at maturity 



to a length of eight or nine inches (0.200—0.225 metre), one-quarter of an inch (0.0063 metre) 



broad, glabrous; the keel one-third the width of the blade, the lateral channels wide and open. 

 Perianth: Tub, three to four inches (0.075-0.100 metre) in length from the ovary to the throat. Throat 



unbearded orange. Segments one and a half to one and three-quarters inches (o 038— 0.044 metre) 



"n length/and about half an inch (0.0.3 metre) in width. In the type pale purple orange towards 



the throat; and in v'ar. versicolor, variegated with white, purple, and orange, or white and orange. 

 Stamens from three-quarters of an inch (0.019 metre) to an inch (0.025 metre) in height; the orange 



Anther somewhat longer than the orange Filament. Pollen Gram papillose, orange, B - of an inch 



(0.0008 metre) in diameter. 

 Phtil about an inch (0.02s metre) in height from the throat; the Style dividing at the level of the 



middle of the anthers, and produced into broad, sub-entire, orange-scarlet stigmata, which reach 



to the level of the summit, or a little above the summit of the anthers. 

 Scate from an inch and a half to two inches (0.038-0.050 metre) high at the flowering-time, produced 



to a height of four inches (0.100 metre) at the maturity of the capsule; there are one, two, or 



three scapes within each set of sheathing leaves. 

 Capsule about an inch (0.025 metre) high, and one-third of an inch (0.0084 metre) broad. 

 Seed dull red, about one-seventh of an inch (0.0036 metre) high, and one-tenth of an inch (0.0025 



metre) broad, slightly papillose; the prominent caruncle is of the same colour as the body of the 



seed; the raphe is thickened into a prominent white strophiole. 



Croats Sieberi is abundant, generally at elevations of from fifteen hundred to 

 seven thousand five hundred feet, on the mountains of Greece, the Morea, Eubcea, 

 Crete, and the Cyclades. Visiani, on the authority of Maly, records its occurrence 

 in Montenegro; and Herbert, on the authority of Forbes and Sprat, in Lycia. 

 Omitting the two latter records, concerning which some doubt exists, the ascertained 

 range of the species would lie between 21 50' and 24° 50' east longitude, and 

 l^\6 and 3 8° 35' north latitude. On the mainland of Greece it has been found 

 on Mount Parnassus (Liakoura), Mount Parnes (Ozea), Pentelicus and Corydalus, 

 near Athens. In Eubcea, on Mount Delphi; and in the Morea, on Taygetus (Ta- 

 geytes) and on Mount Voidia (Panachaico), near Patras. Herbert states that Forbes 

 and Sprat gathered it on Mount Massicytus, above the Gailahs, (or flat table-lands 

 of the Lycian Mountains,) and on Mount Lycodino near the Forest of Kubaz; but 

 there is no other or recent record of its occurrence in Asia Minor. 



Croats Sieberi flowers freely in the early spring. The type, or self-coloured 

 form, from the mainland of Greece (Fig. 1), has been for some years in cultivation. 

 The variety versicolor is an extremely beautiful plant, the segments being variously 

 striped like a piccotee, with purple and white, which blend into the bright orange 

 of the throat. It was introduced to cultivation by Mr. Elwes, who received it from 



