iRiDE^. (iris family.) 771 



oils testa and liorny albumen — Steml(3ss herbs, ■with a corm covered 

 with membranous tunics, and with linear leaves, appearing with or 

 after the flowers, naked at base or having a spathe which encloses one 

 or more scapes each with a spatlie at the base of the ovary. 



* Baml i^patJie armng from ajjex of corm, endoHng scapef<. Tunica of corm 

 with parallel fibres. 



1. C. oclirolciiciis, Boiss. et Gaill. If Cream-colored Crocus. 

 Outer tunics of corm firm, brown, inner membranous, thin. Leaves 

 appearing tcithjlowers. Flowers \^u\e cream-colored or lilac; tube of pe- 

 rigonium twice as long as elongated-ellipjtical divisions, throat yellow, 

 l)earded; stigmas slightly dilated, short-3-4-lobed — October to Feb- 

 ruary—Rocky places; Phoenician coast; Lebanon and Antilel)anon ; 

 Galilee. 



2. €. zoiiatu§, J. Gay. 2f Ringed Crocus. Tunics thin, pale, 

 membranous. Leaves a2:)pearing after fioioers. Flowersj^:>rt/e Wac; tube 

 of perigonium twice to thrice as long as ol)ovate-elUp)tical, obtuse divi- 

 sions; divisions with 7-9 deeper-colored nerves, provided with two 

 orange-l)earded spots atdase, formings f/??^ at throat of perigonium; stig- 

 mas club-shaped, very short-lobed, or occasionally dissected — Septem- 

 ber to November — Subalpine and Alpine Lebanon and Hermon; 

 Aintub. 



* * Basal spathe 0. 



t Tunics of corm composed of netted fibres. 



3. C. eaiicellatus, Plerb. Bot. If Fibres of tunic continued 

 along the stem as thick bristles ; areolce rectangular to rhomboidal. 

 Leaves ^i^\)Q^vmg after fioicers. Flowers with white tube twice as long 

 ns whitish to lilac or pinl limb; divisions .04 long, oblong-elliptical, 

 obtuse, with deeper colored strice; throat glabrous; anthers yellow, 

 four times as long as filament ; stigmas longer than anthers, dissected 

 into lobes somewhat dilated at tip — September to December — Sub- 

 alpine to alpine Lebanon and Antilebanon; Damascus; Amanus; Ain- 

 tab. * The corm is edible, and sold in the streets of Damascus and 

 other cities. 



4. C. Aiicyrciisis, G, ]\Iaw. It Corm ovate-pyriform, fibres 

 thick, broad, joined by a thin membrane; areola) Hjiear. Leaves 

 appearing icith thefioicers. Spathe of two leaves, exsertedfrom sheath. 

 Tube of perigonium twice to thrice as long as yelhw limb : divisions 

 .02 long, oblong-elliptical, obtuse; throat glabrous; anthers puberulent, 

 thrice as long as filament ; siigvuviS orange-colored, longer tlian antlicrs, 

 tJiicTcened, slightly Idhed — Spring — Akher Dagh. 



t I- Tunics of corm comjjosed of parallel fibres at length separating 

 into stripis. 



X Flowers app)earing in winter and spring. 

 § Fioioers white, or tinged with lilac. 



5. €. Oaillarclotti, Boiss. ct Gaill. et Bl. 21 Corm oblong- 

 conical. Li-'avcs fil if 01' m, at length circinnatc-recnrxcd, appearing with 

 the flowers. Tube of perigonium slender, twice as long as limb; 

 divisions scarcely .02 long, narrow-elliptical, pale-lilac at outer face, 



