322 THE GENUS CROCUS. 



Sheathing Leaves about five,. from half an inch (0.013 metre) to three or four inches (0.075—0.100 metre) 



in length, falling short of the proper spathes. 

 Proper Leaves four or 'five, reaching above the flowers, and produced at maturity to about a foot (0.300 



metre) in length, very narrow, from £_ to i, of an inch (0.0008— 0.00 .o metre) in width, glabrous; 



the convex keel barely half the width of the blade; lateral channels without ridges. 

 Proper Spathe diphyllous, ligulate, about two inches (0.0050 metre) in length, reaching nearly to the 



throat. 

 Perianth: Tube about three inches (0.075 metre) in length. Throat unbearded, pale yellow Segments 



acute, linear-lanceolate, from an inch to an inch and a quarter (0.025-0.032 metre) in length, and 



barely a quarter of an inch (0.0063 metre) broad, white, the outer surface of the outer segments 



and the tube veined- with rich purple. 

 Stamens much shorter than the pistil, barely half an inch (0.013 metre) high; the yellow Anthers barely 



so long as the 'slender white Filament. Pollen Grains ^ of an inch (0.00006 metre) in diameter, 



glabrous, orange. 

 Pistil exceeding the stamens, about three-quarters of an inch (0.019 metre) in height from the throat; 



the Style dividing near the throat, and produced into a branching mass of capillary, scarlet or 



orange stigmata. 

 Scape about two inches (0.050 metre) high at the flowering-time, produced to a height of three or 



four inches (0.075—0.100 metre) at the maturity of the capsule. 

 Capsule three-quarters of an inch (0.019 metre) high, and one-third of an inch (0.0084 metre) broad. 

 Seed about'-one-sixth of an inch (0.0042 metre) high, and one-tenth of an inch (0.0025 metre) broad, bright 



crimson, ripening to rich brown ; the chalaza, raphe, and prominent caruncle of the same colour 



as the body of the seed. 



The distribution of Crocus Flcischcri is somewhat remarkable, as with the ex- 

 ception of a single record of its occurrence in Lycia, where it was found by 

 Professor Edward Forbes, it is only known to occur at the western extremity of 

 Asia Minor, in the neighbourhood of Smyrna, and at the eastern extremity in 

 the Cilician Taurus, between latitude 37° and 38^° north, and longitude 27A and 



35 east. 



I have gathered it in several places on the Hippurite limestone plateau to 

 the east of Smyrna, at low elevations between Taktale and Boudjah, and between 

 Boudjah and Smyrna. It was found by Aucher-Eloy near the Cilician Gates; by 

 Theo. Kotschy at Gullek Magara in the Taurus, at a height of six thousand four 

 hundred feet; and by Mrs. Danford in the Cilician Taurus. 



It is an early spring flowering species, and is remarkable for its yellow 

 corm, its singular, stranded tunic, bright crimson seeds, and its exceptionally narrow 

 leaves. Monsieur Boissier, in the absence of Clarke's specimen of C. candidus, 

 erroneously associated it with that species, to which it is not nearly allied. 



Crocus Fleischeri is best cultivated to advantage under the protection of a cold 

 frame, as from its delicate habit and early flowering-time, it does not thrive in the 

 open border. 



