DYES. 



N. O. 236. IRIDACE^E. I RIDS. 

 CrOCUS SativuS. Allioni. Saffron Crocus. 



Linn. Syst. Triandria Monogynia. 



The dried stigmata, Saffron. 



Vernacular. Katmirajamma, Kunkuma, Sans. Zofran, Keysar, 

 Hind. Khoonyoomapoo, Tarn. Khoonkoomapoo, Kunkuma, Tel. 

 Kohon, Cey. Koorkum, Zafran, Arab. Kerkum, Zafaran ? 

 AbeerfPers. Thanwen, Burmah. Saffaron, Connyer, Malaya. 



Habitat. Asia Minor ; Cashmir ? Naturalized over temperate 

 Europe. 



Remarks. The Carcos (Calmer) of the " Song of Songs" of King 

 Solomon, and KpoKos of Homer, and the Greeks. Notwithstanding that the 

 Crocus is a common flower in England, and that we have a town called 

 Saffron-Walden, the Crocus is not indigenous to our count rv, nor to 

 Western Europe. Curiously, it is not even to be found about Saffron- 

 Wai den. I have suggested Cashmir as a habitat, from having read that 

 Kalidasa the Indian poet describes the living flower. The ancients made 

 great use of Saffron in the preparation of salves, as the Diacrocos, and in 

 perfumery and cookery, the latter uses being evidence of their uncleanli- 

 ness and low tastes. It may be said that moderns employ Saffron in 

 cookery and confectionary, but in cookery I believe only in the flatulent 

 season of Lent, when Tansy cakes even become a judicious adjunct 

 to "fish and pulse." It is not very largely used as a dye, and i.s adul- 

 terated often with the flowers of Carthamus, tinctorius, W. Safflower 

 (Crocus Saracenicus, Crocus German! cus), and Calendula officinalis, W. 

 Common Maryyold, as stated under N. O. 120. Under N. O. 241. 

 Bromeliacese, "a yellow colour is extracted in Brazil from the root 

 of Bill hernia tinctorial Under N. O. 242. Liliac.^oe, the resin of 

 the Australian Xanthorrhreas, like many other resins, are used as 

 dve stuffs. 



N. O. 273. LICl-IENES. LICHEXS. 



Rocella montagnei. Kehnyer. 



Linn. Sytt. Cryptojr:iinisi, 



The plant. 



Vernacular. 



Habitat. India, on the trunks of Mango trees. 



Remarks. This is one of the Orchella or Oichilla weeds, from which 

 Orchill, Cudbear, and Litmus, or Lichen blue, are prepared. Some of the 

 Lichens from which they are prepared are called Kock Mosses. Pereira 

 gives the following list of Orchella Weeds and llock Mosses : 

 305 MM 



