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2. COLCHICUM AUTUMNALE. 



AUTUMNAL CROCUS. 



THIS genus comprehends plants of the perennial flowering bul- 

 bous-rooted kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Alexandria Trigynia, and ranks 

 in the natural order of Spathacete. 



The characters are: that there is no calyx (except scattered 

 spathes): the corolla six-parted: tube angulated, rooted; divisions 

 of the border lance-ovate, concave, erect: the stamina consist of six 

 subulate filaments, shorter than the corolla: anthers oblong, four- 

 valved, incumbent: the pistillum is a buried germ within the root: 

 styles three, thread-form, length of the stamens: stigmas reflex, chan- 

 nelled: the pericarpium is a three-lobed capsule connected inter- 

 nally by a suture, obtuse, three-celled, sutures gaping inwardly : the 

 seeds many, nearly globular, and wrinkled. 



The species cultivated are: 1. C. autumnale, Common Meadow 

 Saffron; 2. C. montanum, Mountain Meadow Saffron; 3. C. variega- 

 tum, Variegated Meadow Saffron. 



The first has a bulbous root, about the size and shape of the tulip, 

 but not so sharp-pointed at the top; the skin or cover is also of a 

 darker colour: these bulbs are renewed every year; for those Avhich 

 produce the flowers decay, and new roots are formed above: the 

 flowers come out in autumn ; these arise with long slender tubes from 

 the root, about four inches high, shaped like those of the saffron, but 

 larger : the number of flowers is generally in proportion to the size 

 of the roots, from two to seven or eight: in March the green leaves 

 appear, these are commonly four to a full-grown root; they are folded 

 over each other below, but spread open above ground, standing 

 cross-ways: they are of a deep green, and when fully grown are five 



