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tube of the flower is very long, arising immediately from the bulb, 

 without any foot-stalk, and at the top is divided into six ovate ob- 

 tuse segments, which are equal, and of a purple blue colour. In the 

 bottom of the tube is situated a roundish germ, supporting a slender 

 style, which is not more than half the length of the petal, crowned 

 with three oblong golden stigmas, spreading asunder each way, which 

 is the Saffron. It flowers in October, and the leaves continue grow- 

 ing all winter; but it never produces seeds in this climate. It is 

 supposed by Marty n to be a native of Asia. 



The chief varieties are: the Sweet-smelling with a smaller, and 

 more compressed root, having a deep blue colour, but varying to a 

 sky-blue: the Mountain, which has a flower of a paler blue colour; 

 the Many-flowering blueish, with numerous sky-blue flowers; and 

 the Small-flowering, having a small deep blue flower. 



The second species has a pretty large compressed bulb, covered 

 with a light brown, netted skin, from which arise four or five leaves 

 of a purplish colour on their lower parts: from among these come 

 out one or two flowers, sitting close between the young leaves, never 

 rising above two inches high, and having an agreeable odour. 

 From the centre of the tube a slender style proceeds, which is 

 crowned by a broad flat stigma of a golden colour. After the flower 

 is past, the germ pushes out of the ground. In the wild slate, it 

 is most commonly white, with a purple base. It is a native of 

 Italy, &c. 



The chief varieties arc : the broad-leaved purple variegated, 

 which has a flower of a deep blue colour, nnd striped ; the broad- 

 leaved plain purple; the broad-leaved violet-coloured, or large 

 deep blue; the white with a purple bottom; the broad-leaved white 

 variegated; the broad-leaved with many violet-purple flowers striped 

 wiih white; the broad-leaved ash-coloured; the broad-leaved large 

 yeilow; the broad-leaved small pale yellow; the broad-leaved small 

 yellow striped with black; the narrow-leaved small briimftf&ti; and 

 the narrow-leaved small while. 



In modern catalogues, many other varieties of different colours 



