20+ THE GENUS CROCUS. 



Perianth- Tube from two, to two and a half inches (0.050-0.063 metre) in length from the ovary to 

 the throat. Throat unbearded. Segments about an inch and a half (0.038 metre) long, and a third 

 of an inch (0.0084 metre) broad, bright orange; the outer surface of the outer segments feathered 

 with from three to five bronze-coloured lines. 



Stamens about three-eighths of an inch (0.010 metre) high; the pale orange Anthers tapering upwards, 

 about a quarter of an inch (0.0063 metre) in length, and twice the length of the pale orange 

 Filament. Pollen Grains orange, of irregular size and form, effete. 



Pistil fully half an inch in height from the throat, higher than the stamens; the Style dividing at the 

 level of the summit of the anthers, and produced into pale orange, entire stigmata. 



Scape about an inch (o.oz 5 metre) high at the fiowering-time. 



Capsule abortive, and never matures seed. 



a it re 



Croats stellaris closely resembles some of the old horticultural forms of Croats 

 .rats, but differs from them in having a reticulated coriaceous corm tunic. It has 

 been long in cultivation, but its origin and history are unrecorded. It has never 

 been found in a wild habitat, and is probably a garden variety. It never produces 

 seed, and its stamens and pollen grains are unnaturally reduced in size and are 

 effete. Baker suggests that it may be an old garden hybrid between aureus and 

 susianus, as it combines the characters of both of these species; but against this 

 assumption, we must bear in mind that there is no authenticated record of a hybrid 

 Crocus having ever been produced, or found in a wild state. C. stellaris flowers 

 early in March. 



REFERENCES TO PLATE XXXVII. 



Fig. 1. Flowering-state, March 18th, actual size. 



Fig. 2. With matured leaves, May, actual size. 



Fig. 3. Diagrammatic dissection of scape, ovary, and spathes, actual size. 



Fig. 4. Stamens and Pistil, magnified two-fold. 



Fig. 5. Pollen Grains, magnified one hundred and fifty-fold. 



Fig. 6. Stigmata, magnified six-fold. 



Fig. 7. Section of leaf, magnified two-fold: a, cap; b, main tunic; c, basal tunic. 



