100 



CROCUS. 



Teno and Scyro. The positions and 



treatment recommended for Crocus 

 Orphanidis will also suit this. 



Crocus Imperati (Imperati's Crocus). 

 Nearly allied to C. versicolor, but 

 much handsomer, 3 to 6 in. high. 

 flowers, in very early spring ; sweet- 

 scented, of a lilac -purple on the inside ; 

 external divisions If in. long and 

 f in. broad, of a creamy white on the 

 outside, marked with three longitu- 

 dinal dark purple lines, of which the 

 two outer ones and the end of the 

 middle one are feathered with short 

 lines of the same colour. Leaves, 

 appearing before the flowers, longer 

 than tlte flower-stem, linear, thick, 

 recurved, with a distinct white line in 

 the middle of the concave inner side, 

 and enveloped for 2 or 3 in. from the 

 base with a series of three or four 

 opposite, deeply furrowed, obtuse, 

 membranous sheaths. Corm roundish, 

 irregular, about the size of a small 

 nutmeg, partially covered at the base 

 and sides with brown fibres. Found 

 on the mountains of Calabria at 3000 



to 6000 ft. of altitude. Borders, 



the rock-garden, edgings, and natu- 

 ralization, on warm, sunny banks and 

 slopes, in ordinary soil. Separation 

 of the bulbs. 



Crocus luteus (Common Yellow C.) 

 The common yellow Crocus of our 

 gardens. Flowers, early in spring, 

 appearing at the same time as the 

 leaves ; of a bright yellow, two on a 

 stem. Leaves, linear ; sheaths wide. 

 Corm covered with veined tunics. 

 Native country uncertain, but sup- 

 posed to have been introduced from 



the Levant. Borders, edgings, or 



naturalized in grass, in almost any 

 position and in any soil. Separation 

 of the bulbs. 



Crocus nudiflorus (Naked-flowered C.) 

 C. multifidus. A beautiful late 

 "blooming species. Flowers, in autumn ; 



pale bright purple, with the tube 3 to 

 10 in. long, and the segments 1^ to 

 2 in. long. Leaves, appearing very 

 early in spring, very slender, with a 

 narrow white line in the centre. 

 Corm flowers when about the size of a 

 pea, sending out stolons in spring, the 

 thickened apices of which form fresh 

 conns. S. W. Europe, but abun- 

 dantly naturalized in meadows about 

 Nottingham, Derby, Halifax, and 



Warrington. Borders, edgings to 



beds of autumnal flowers, the lower 

 parts of the rock-garden, or naturalized 

 in the grass, in open sunny spots near 

 wood-walks, in ordinary soil. Separa- 

 tion of the bulbs. 



Crocus Orphanidis (Orphanides 1 (7.) 

 A rare and recently introduced 

 kind, flowers, in autumn; soft lilac - 

 blue with yellow throat, 2 \ in. in 

 diameter. Leaves, appear with the 

 flowers, exceeding them in length and 

 getting much longer afterwards. 

 Corms unusually large, nearly 2 in. 

 long, closely covered with a bright 

 chestnut-brown tissue. A native of 



Greece. The rock-garden and 



choice border, in deep sandy loam, 

 and in sunny, warm, and sheltered 

 positions. When more plentiful it 

 will doubtless prove useful in various 

 other ways. Separation of the bulb 

 every second year, soon after the 

 leaves have died down, replanting the 

 bulbs at once, and rather deeply. 



Crocus pulchellus (Mount Athos C.) 

 A rare and pretty late-blooming 

 kind, 4 to 5 in. high, flowers, in 

 autumn ; large and showy, pale bluish- 

 pearl colour, with darker veins, the 

 throat orange-yellow ; anthers white. 

 Leaves, broad, smooth, green with a 

 white streak. Corm covered with a 

 membranous coat, having a ring at 

 the base ciliated with fibres. Nativo 

 of Belgrade, the east side of the 



Bosphorus, and Mount Athos. 



The positions and treatment recom- 



