2l6 THE GENUS CROCUS. 



Linn. Soc, Bot., vol. xvi, p. 82; G. Maw in Card Chron Feby 26,.. 876; Synops. Genus Crocus 



in Card. Chron., new ser., vol. xvi, p. 559; in The Garden, vol. xx., No. 53 2, p. 68, and Hist. 



Crocus in Journ. Linn. Soc, Bot., vol. xix, p. 373. 

 C. vermes (not C. vermis Allione) Brotero, Fl. Lus. p. 49. 

 ? C. lusitanicus, Brotero, Fl. Lus.; Herbert in Bot. Reg. 1843, vol. xxix, p. 84. 



Cormus *— *- poll ( 0.013— 0.019 metr.) latus et altus. Tunicae fibri molles reticulati, stuppei, in agmine 

 C ° d ns'e congesta fene'stris quam h/ulla specie majoribus, *_* poll (0.003,-0 oo^ 7 metr.)JaUs 

 in fasciculo denso fibrorum sericeorum, quam cormus 1— 1* poll. (0.025— 0.038 metr.) longiore 

 product' >S quam spatha breviores. Folia floribus squantia ciliata, semi.cy mdnca sine 

 carina vel canaliculi latera libus, in dorso autem canaliculi, .6 vittis alterms. Spatha diphylla 

 Pe ianthhm Tux haud barbata alba; segmenta pallide vinoso-lilacina margmibus obscunonbus vel 

 *Xb? extus venis csrulescentibus suffusa, 1— i* poll. 0.025-0.032 metr.) longa, f poll. (0.010 

 metr*.)Tata XnlerS aurantiac, filamentis albis b'is longiores. Stylus ad bases anther™ fissu* 

 Stigmata pallide lilacina brevia ramis subito reflexis quam anther* sspius brev.onbus. Semina glabra 

 pallide rufescenti-brunnea, caruncula conspicua. 



Corm from half an inch (0.013 metre) to three-quarters of an inch (0.019 metre) broad and high. 



toa dense mass o soft 3 reticulated fibres, resembling tow, in which the intervals of reticulation 



are much la rlerTan in any other species, often from one-eighth to three-sixteenths of an inch 



(o 0032-0 00*47 metre) acroL, produced upwards into a bunch of silky fibres, reachmg from an ,nch 



0025 metre) to an inch and a half (0.038 metre) above the summit of the corm. 



Sheathing Leaves about four, from half an inch (0.0,3 metre) to three and a half inches (0.088 metre) 

 in length, falling short of the proper spathe. 



Prober Leaves about four, reaching to the level of, or higher than the flowers at the flowering-time 

 ^dTroduced a maturity to°a length of about eight inches (0200 metre) one-tenth of an inch 

 £0025 metre) broad, semi-cylindrical, without keel or lateral channes but furrowed on the back 

 with about sixteen channels, alternating with low ridges; margins of leaf ciliated. 



Proper Spathe diphyllous, the outer spathe tubular, the inner ligulate, an inch and three-quarters (0.044 

 metre) in length, reaching nearly to the throat. 



Perianth ■ Tube about three inches (0.075 metre) long from the ovary to the throat. Throat unbearded, 

 lite. -Seven's from an inch (0.025 metre) to an inch and a quarter 0.032 metre) m length 

 and three-eighths of an inch (0.010 metre) in width varying from dehca^ v. no- us -hlac, darker on 

 the margins, to white, and suffused externally towards the base with bluish veins. 



Stamens half an inch (0.0.3 metre) in height, exceeding the pistil, the orange Anthers twice the length 

 of the white Filament 3 Pollen GW from ^ to rf* of an inch (0.00006-0.00007 metre) in 

 diameter yellow, papillose, and channelled externally with a spiral depression. 



Pistil shorter than the stamens, three-eighths of an inch (0.010 metre) in height from the throat; the 

 S7j A dividing at the level of the base of the anthers, and shortly produced into pale hlac stigmata, 

 the divisions of which are suddenly reflexed. 



Scape two inches (0.050 metre) in height at the flowering-time, and produced to a height of three or 



four inches (0.075—0.100 metre) at the maturity of the capsule. 

 Capsule about five-eighths of an inch (0.0 .6 metre) high, and three-eighths of an inch (0.0.0 metre) 



broad. 

 Seed about one-fifth of an inch (0.005 metre) in height, and one-tenth of an inch (0.0025 metre) broad, 

 glabrous dull rosy-red, ripening to pale reddish brown, glabrous; the prominent caruncle of a paler 

 colour than the body of the seed. 



