57. CROCUS CYPEIUS. 



Section: Nudiflori; parallelo-fibrosi (Herbert): Odontostigma; vernal (Baker): Annulati (Maw). 



Crocus cyprius, Boiss. and Kotschy in Unger and Kotschy's Insel. Cypern., p. 203; Boiss., Fl. Orient, 

 vol. v, part i, p. 113; G. Maw, Synops. Genus Crocus in Gard. Chron., new ser., vol! xvi p 748- 

 in The Garden, vol. xxi, num. 532, p. 69; and Hist. Crocus in Tourn. Linn. Soc, Bot., vol xix d' 

 373- ' v ' 



C. Cambessedesii, (not C. Cambessedesii, Gay), Klatt Revis. Irid. in Linnsea, vol. xxxiv, p. 684. 



C.aerius, in part, Baker, Rev. Sp. Crocus in Gard. Chron., new ser., 1873, p. 609; List Crocus in 

 Journ. R. Hort. Soc. Lond., new ser., vol. iv, 1877; and Syst. Iridac. in Tourn. Linn. Soc Bot 

 vol. xvi, p. 83. ■' 



Cormus ^ poll. (0.013 metre) latus. Tunica fibro-membranacea, a basi in laciniis angustis planis fibrosis 

 fissa; tunica basahs annulis 1 — 2 membranaceis confecta. Vagina spatha ferme ajquantes. Folia 

 3—4. glabra, 4—6 poll. (0.100—0.150 metr.) longa ad florationem, fauce sequantia vel flores super- 

 antia, | poll. (0.0032 metr.) lata, carina angustissima et prominente, canaliculis lateralibus latis 

 apertis. Spatha monophylla. Perianthium: faux glabra, extus purpurea; segmenta insigne lilacina 

 macula purpurea ad basin, f poll. (0.019 metr.) longa, J- poll. (0.0063 metr.) lata, obtusa. Anther^ 

 aurantiacas, quam filamenta coccinea dimidio breviores. Stylus ad apices antherarum fissus- 

 stigmata integra. Semina aurantiaco-coccinea. 



Corm about half an inch (0.013 metre) broad and high. Tunic fibre-membranous, the main tunic splittino- 

 up from the base into narrow fibre-like divisions. Basal Tunic composed of one or two membranous 

 annuli. 



Sheathing Leaves three or four, from half an inch (0.013 metre) to three or four inches (0 07 s— o 100 

 metre) long, falling a little short of the proper spathe. 



Proper Leaves three or four, reaching to, or above, the flowers at the flowering-time, barely one-ei»hth 

 of an inch (0.0032 metre) wide, glabrous; the keel one-sixth the width of the blade; the lateral 

 channels wide and open. 



Proper Spathe monophyllous, tubular, nearly two inches (0.050 metre) long and reaching within half an 

 inch (0.013 metre) of the throat. 



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

 Segments ovato-lanceolate, three-quarters of an inch (0.019 metre) long, and one-quarter of an inch 

 (0.0063 metre) broad; bright lilac, with a dark purple blotch towards the base. 



