3 ,6 THE GENUS CROCUS. 



C. speciosus, (not C. speciosus, M. Bieb.) Griseb. Spic. Fl. Rumel, vol. ii, p. 374. 



C. multifidus (not C. multifidus, Ramond, which is C. nudiflorus, Smith) Noe exsic. in Herbaria. 



C. constantinopolitanus, Hertodt, Crocologia, anno 1670, cap. 3, species tertia. 



Cormus a poll. (0.019 metr.) latus, A- poll. (0.013 metr.) altus. Tunica coriacea basi fissa, apice cus- 

 pidibus acutis munita; tunica basalis, 3-4 annuli coriacei cuspidibus acutis 15-16 in margine externo. 

 Vagina; spatham superantes. Folia hysteranthia, in vere 9-poll. (0.225 metr.) longa, -^ poll. (0.0047 

 metr.) lata, glabra, carina prominente angusta concava. Spatha diphylla, \\ poll. (0.038 metr.) 

 longa, in vaginis inclusa. Perianthium: faux glabra, aurantiaca; tubus 4 poll. (0.100 metr.), longus 

 spatham et vaginis poll. 3 superans, segmenta lata ovato-lanceolata, i\ poll. (0.038 metr.) longa, 

 4 poll. (0.019 metr.) lata, splendide cserulescenti-lilacina, exteriora extus concolora, intus lineis 5 

 atropurpureis angustis ramosis ornata. Flores rarius albi. Antherse albas, quam filamenta flava 

 hispida duplo longiores. Stylus prope faucem fissus, stigmata aurantiaca 10 — 12 tenuia capillacea 

 antheris sequantia. Semina globosa, rubra, papillosa. 



Corm about half an inch (0.013 metre) high, and three-quarters of an inch (0.019 metre) broad. Tunic 



coriaceous; the Basal Tunic consisting of three or four coriaceous annuli, with fifteen or sixteen 



short pointed rays on their outer circumference. 

 Sheathing Leaves four or five, from half an inch (0.013 metre) to three and a half inches (0.088 metre) 



in length, exceeding and enclosing the proper spathes, and enclosing one or more scapes. 

 Proper Leaves four or five, half an inch (0.013 metre) long, dormant within the sheathing leaves at the 



autumnal flowering-time, and produced to a length of about ten inches (0.250 metre) at maturity, 



three-sixteenths of an inch (0.0047 metre) broad, glabrous; the concave keel one-fifth the width of 



the blade; the lateral channels wide and open. 

 Proper Spa the diphyllous, an inch and a half (0.038 metre) in length, falling short of, and hidden within, 



the sheathing leaves, the inner spathe ligulate, the outer tubular. 

 Perianth: Tube four or five inches (0.100 — 0.125 metre) in length from the ovary to the throat. Throat 



unbearded, orange. Segments broad, ovato-lanceolate, one and a half inches (0.038 metre) long, 



and three-quarters of an inch (0.019 metre) broad, bright bluish lilac, yellow towards the throat, 



or occasionally white, the inner surface marked with five dark purple narrow branching lines. 

 Stamens seven-eighths of an inch (0.022 metre) high; the white Anthers somewhat longer than the 



hairy orange Filament. Pollen Grain papilose, —^ of an inch (0.00006 metre) in diameter, pale 



cream colour. 

 Pistil equalling the stamens, about seven-eighths of an inch (0.022 metre) high from the throat; the 



Style dividing below the level of the anthers, and produced into a compact bunch of finely divided, 



orange-scarlet, capillary stigmata. 

 Scape about an inch (0.025 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 an inch (0.025 metre) high, and one-third of an inch (0.0084 metre) broad. 

 Seed globose, one-ninth of an inch (0.0028 metre) in diameter, papillose, rich orange-red; the chalaza, 



raphe, and caruncle of the same colour as the body of the seed. 



