296 THE GENUS CROCUS. 



Cormus \ poll. (0.013 metr.) latus, \ — \ poll. (0.084 — °- 0, 3 metr.) altus. Tunica coriacea, superne et 

 inferne fissa; tunica basalis, 1- — 2 annuli coriacei, marginibus exterioribus cuspidibus radiatis densis 

 munitis. Vaginae quam spatha breviores, scapos 2 — 3 involventes. Folia 3 — 4 synanthia et floribus 

 asquantia, matura pedalia (0.300 metr.) glabra, ^ poll. (0.0025 metr.) lata, costis tribus in canaliculis 

 lateralibus. Spatha diphylla. Perianthium: faux glabra, aurantiaca; segmenta vix 1 poll. (0.025 

 metr.) longa, \ poll. (0.0084 metr.) lata, interiora alba, exteriora extus ochracea suffusa, chocolatino 

 ornata. Antherse atro-chocolatina;, quam filamenta aurantiaca duplo longiores. Stylus ad basin 

 antherarum fissus. ■ Stigmata integra aurantiaca, antheris asquantia. 



Corm about half an inch (0.013 metre) broad, and from one-third to half an inch (0.0084 — 0.0013 metre 

 high. Tunic coriaceous, splitting up from above and below. The Basal Tunic consists of one or 

 two coriaceous annuli with radiating points on their outer margin. 



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

 falling short of the proper spathe and including two or three scapes. 



Proper Leaves three or four, appearing with, and reaching to, the level of the flowers, produced at 



maturity to about twelve inches (o - 300 metre) in length, one-tenth of an inch (0.0025 metre) broad, 



glabrous, the keel about one-third the width of the blade, the lateral channels containing three 

 prominent ridges. 



Proper Spathe diphyllous, about two inches (0.050 metre) in length, exceeding the sheathing leaves; the 

 inner spathe ligulate, the outer tubular. 



Perianth: Tube from two and a half to three inches (0.063 — 0.075 metre) in length from the ovary to 

 the throat. Throat glabrous, yellow. Segments barely an inch (0.025 metre) long, and one-third 

 of an inch (0.0084 metre) broad, white; the outer surface of the outer segments coated with buff, 

 and feathered with rich purple markings. 



Stamens equalling the pistil, half an inch (0.013 metre) high; the dark chocolate Anthers about twice 

 the length of the orange Filament. Pollen Grains ^~ of an inch (0.00006 metre) in diameter, 

 orange. 



Pistil reaching to the level of the summit of the anthers, about half an inch (0.013 metre) in height 

 from the throat; the Style dividing at the level of the base of the anthers, and produced into 

 spreading, entire, orange-scarlet stigmata. 



Scape about an inch and a half (0.038 metre) in height at the flowering-time. 



Capsule and Seed unknown. 



I have some hesitation in separating C. Creivci as a species distinct from C. 

 biflorus, as its dark chocolate anthers form the only prominent character which seems 

 to distinguish it. It appears to have been known to Boissier and Orphanides as early 

 as 1870, and herbarium specimens from Mount Taygetes were distributed under the 

 name of C. mclanthcrus. Sir Joseph D. Hooker was the first to describe it, and 

 in 1875 figured it in the Botanical Magazine (Tab. 6168) under the name of C. 

 Crcwei. It was collected in 1874 by Mr. Elwes, on the hill above the old town of 

 Syra, represented in the vignette at the head of this chapter; and corms having 

 been sent by Mr. Elwes, to the late Rev. H. Harpur Crewe and myself, Mr. Crewe 

 was successful in flowering it in the spring of 1875, an d in the following year two 

 other corms flowered with me at Benthall. 



