2+ 8 THE GENUS CROCUS. 



Crocus Boryi, var. I, lasvigatus, Baker, Rev. Sp. Crocus in Gard. Chron., new ser., 1873, p. 1533; List 

 Crocus in Journ. R. Hort. Soc, new ser., vol. iv, 1877. 



Cormus pyriformis, J poll. (0.019 metr.) latus et altus. Tunica coriacea, brunnea, basi serrata; tunica 

 basalis parva irregularis discoidea, coriacea. Vagina; ovarium paullo superantes, spatha breviores. 

 Folia glabra, in auctumno primo visa, ad florationem floribus sequantia, matura 9— 10 poll, (0.2Z5 



0.250 metr.) longa, ^ — £ poll. (0.0025 — 0.0032 metr.) lata. Spatha diphylla, brevissima, i\ poll. 



(0.032 metr.) longa. Perianthium: faux flava, glabra; segmenta alba vel lilacina; exteriora extus 

 oc'hrea, varie purpureo-ornata, i-} — i£ poll. (0.032—0.038 metr.) longa, £ poll. (0.013 metr.) lata. 

 Anthene albse, filamentis flavis papillosis asquantes. Stylus in medio antherarum fissus, stigmata 

 erecta fasciculata capillacea, flava vel aurantiaca, antheras multo superantes. 



Corm pyriform, about three-quarters of an inch (0.019 metre) broad and high. Tunic strongly coriaceous, 

 with a glabrous surface, dark brown in colour, splitting up at the base into superimposed series of 

 vandyke sub-divisions; the Basal Tunic a small, irregular, coriaceous disc. 



Sheathing Leaves about three, from half an inch to two and a half inches (0.013—0.063 metre) in 

 length, just reaching above the ovary, and falling short of the proper spathes. 



Proper Leaves four or five, appearing before the flowers, and reaching to the level of the flowers at 

 the flowering-time, produced at maturity in the spring to a length of nine or ten inches (0.225 — 

 0.250 metre), from one-tenth to one-eighth of an inch (0.0025 — 0.0032 metre) broad, glabrous, the 

 keel about one-third the width of the blade, the lateral channels without ridges. 



Proper Spathe diphyllous, exceptionally short, about an inch and a quarter (0.032 metre) in length, 

 slightly exceeding the sheathing leaves, and reaching to within an inch (0.025 metre) of the throat; 

 the outer spathe tubular, the inner spathe ligulate. 



Perianth: Tube about two inches (0.050 metre) in length from the ovary to the throat. Throat glabrous, 

 yellow. Segments from an inch and a quarter to an inch and a half (0.032 — 0.038 metre) long, 

 and half an inch (0.013 metre) broad, varying from white to lilac; the outer surface of the outer 

 segments either self-coloured buff, or more 'generally variously feathered or suffused with rich purple. 



Stamens shorter than the pistil, about five-eighths of an inch (0.016 metre) high; the white Anthers 

 about the same length as the papillose orange Filament. Pollen Grain papillose, white, -^ of an 

 inch (0.00008 metre) in diameter. 



Pistil from seven-eighths of an inch (0.022 metre) in height from the throat; the Style dividing at the 

 level of the middle of the anthers, and produced into an erect bunch of the capillary divisions 

 of the stigmata, which much exceed the anthers, and vary in colour from yellow to orange. 

 Scape from an inch and a half (0.038 metre) to an inch and three-quarters (0.044 metre) high at the 

 flowering-time, produced to a height of two or three inches (0.050—0.075 metre) at the maturity of 

 the capsule. 

 Capsule five-eighths of an inch (0.016 metre) high, and one-third of an inch (0.0084 metre) broad. 



Seed red ? 



Crocus Icevigatus is a native of the Morea, of the mountains about Athens, and 

 of the Cyclades; and ranges in latitude between 36^° and 38^° north, and in lon- 

 gitude between 22 and 25 east; occurring from near the sea-level up to an altitude 



