230 THE GENUS CROCUS. 



o - " mer longa, W poll. (0.0032-0.0042 metr. lata, margmibus lammce revo^ 



poll. (0.050-0.063 metr.) longa. Scapus fructiferus 2^-3^ poll. (0.063-0.088 metr.) Capsula lerme 

 1 poll. (0.025 metr.) longa. 



Basal Tunic of flattened radiating fibres. 

 ffertd* Z««« three or four, from half an inch (0.0,3 metre) to three or four mches m length 

 (0.075—0.100 metre). 



fourth the width of the blade, the lateral channels containing three or four low ridges. 

 Proper Spathe diphyllous, from two to two and a half inches (0.050-0.063 metre) in length. 



f Zfrom ^and a half to three and a half inches (0.063-0.088 metre) in height at the fruiting-time. 

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



Crocus hermoneus was discovered by Thee Kotschy amongst the melting snow, 

 at an altitude of nine thousand feet, near the summit of Mount Hermon (latitude 

 33° 25' north; longitude 35° 45' east), during his Syrian journey in 1855- The only 

 specimens I have seen are those in the fruiting-state preserved in the Vienna 

 Herbarium; these are represented on Plate XLIV. No date accompanies the 

 specimens, which are the only available examples for description; but probably 

 they were gathered in the late spring or early summer, and the species is m all 



likelihood vernal. 



It appears distinct from any other known Syrian species; the corm tunic some- 

 what resembling that of C. hyemalis. 



REFERENCES TO PLATE XLIV. 



Fig. 1. With matured leaves and capsule, actual size. 



Fig! 2. Diagrammatic dissection of scape, ovary, and spathes, actual size. 



Fig 3. Section of leaf, magnified six-fold. 



Fig! 4. Corm tunics, magnified two-fold: a, cap; b, main tunic; c, basal tunic. 



