280 IEIDACEJS. 



(I. foetidissima). It grows freely in Devonshire, frequenting 

 thickets in many places. My specimen came from near Exeter. 

 Its petals are pale and beautifully veined with purple. Its 

 leaves are sword-shaped, and of a brighter green than those of 

 its brother ; and its seed-pod is very beautiful, showing, on 

 bursting, a gar assembly of bright orange seeds. 



Our one British member of the Ixia family (fxia bulbo- 

 codium), grows also in Devonshire. I have it from Dawlish 

 Common. It somewhat resembles a minute Crocus, but the 

 flower bends slightly downwards. There are five petals, .three 

 stigmas, and one style. The corolla is pale lilac, with a green 

 tint towards the base. It is one of our rarest British plants. 



The Crocus family is the last in this tribe which has British 

 representatives. Some friends of mine who know the Ionian 

 Islands describe the Crocuses as colouring acres of ground there 

 with their golden and purple hue ; but they are rare plants 

 in England, and some called native species are very doubtfully 

 indigenous. 



The G-olden Crocus (Crocus aiireus, Plate XVI., Jig. 6), is a 

 familiar and welcome ornament to our gardens, opening its 

 glorious blossoms as soon as the snow has departed. It has 

 been found wild in Suffolk, but my specimens are garden ones. 

 The poet interprets its feelings very pleasantly. 



" Down in the darkness under the snow, 



Where nothing cheering can reach me, 

 Here without light to see how to grow 



I'll trust to nature to teach me. 

 " I will not be cross, or idle, or frown, 



Locked up in so gloomy a dwelling ; 

 My leaves shall shoot up, and my root shall shoot down, 



While the bud in my bosom is swelling. 

 " Soon from my heart shall gay petals diverge, 



Like rays cf the sun from their focus ; 

 I from the darkness of earth shall emerge 



A happy and beautiful Crocus. 

 " Now, while you admire my leaves and my flower, 



I pray you my counsel to follow, 

 If patient to-day, in your gloomiest hour, 

 You'll come out the brighter to-morrow." 



