350 



COLCH1CUM 



COLCHICUM 



COLCHICUM ( from Colchis, a country in Asia Minor) . 

 Liliacece. MEADOW SAFFRON. AUTUMN CROCUS. A 

 tribe of fall- (rarely spring-) blooming bulbous plants. 

 Perianth crocus-like but much larger, long and tubular, 

 varying from rosy purple to white, with one yelK w- 

 flowered species: Ivs. long and broad, appearing in 

 early spring and dying down in June : stamens six ; 

 styles three and very long ; ovary a round, 3-celled 

 pod : corm long, solid, with a brittle skin. "Colchicum 

 root "and seed are employed in gout and rheumatism. 

 They are narcotic poisons. Colchicums are natives of 

 Europe and the Mediterranean region. They are most 

 charming and interesting plants of easy culture. The 

 bloom comes in August and September, at a season 

 when the herbaceous beds begin to lose their freshness, 

 and, although individual flowers are fugacious, others 

 follow in quick succession, thus prolonging the time of 

 flowering. Opening, as they do, without foliage, some 

 help is required from the greenery of other plants; for 

 this purpose any low-growing, not too dense kind, can 

 be used, such as the dwarf Artemesias, Sedums, Phlox 

 subulata, etc. Colchicums are most effective in masses, 

 which can be established by thick planting, or as the re- 

 sult of many years' growth. They can be grown in rock- 

 work, in beds, or in grass which is not too thick nor too 

 often mown; they will thrive in partial shade, but suc- 

 ceed best in an open, sunny border. They should be 

 planted in August or early September, in deep, well-en- 

 riched soil, a light, sandy loam, with the tip of the long 

 bulbs 2 to 3 inches below the surface ; some protection 

 should be given in winter. They remain in good condition 

 for many years, and should not be disturbed unless they 

 show signs of deterioration, fewer flowers and poor 

 foliage. Then they should be lifted and separated, just 

 after the leaves die, end of June or early July. This 

 is the usual method of propagation, but they can 

 also be increased from seeds, sown just after ripening, 

 June-July ; the seedlings may not appear until the 

 following spring. Seedlings bloom when 3 to 5 years 

 old. The bulbs are obtainable from the Dutch growers 

 at moderate prices, and they must be imported early; 

 otherwise they are apt to bloom in the cases. C. autum- 

 nale, with rosy purple flowers, is a well-known and the 

 most commonly cultivated species. There are numerous 

 varieties, of which the best are the white, the double 

 white and the double purple. Belonging to this same 

 group and not differing much except in size and shad- 

 ing of the flower, are C. Byzantinum, C. montanum, 

 and C. umbrostim. C. speciosum, a native of the Cau- 

 casus, is the finest in every way of the genus. The 

 flowers are much larger and of better shape, and the 

 color, a rosy pink, is much more delicate; the habit of 

 growth is robust, and the plant is most easily handled. 



C. Parkinsoni (a form of C . variegatum) is distinct 

 from the above varieties inasmuch as the flowers are 

 tessellated, purple and white, giving a curious checker- 

 board appearance which is unique; the leaves are much 

 smaller and are wavy. C. Aggripinum, C. Bironce, 

 C. Cilicicum and C. Sibthorpi, are other species having 

 checkered flowers more or less similar to Parkinsoni. 

 C. Bulbocodium=Bulbocoditim vernum. Monograph by 

 J. G. Baker in Jour. Linn. Soc., vol. 17 (1880). 



B. M. WATSON. 



Alphabetical list of species described below: Aggripi- 

 num, 5 ; alpinum, 13 ; autumnale, 10 ; Bertolonii, 1 ; 

 Bivonse, 6 ; Byzantinum, 9 ; Cilicicum, 9 ; luteum, 3 ; 

 montanum, 1 ; Parkinsoni, 4; Sibthorpi, 7; speciosum, 8; 

 Steveni, 2; Troodi, 11; umbrosum, 12; variegatum, 4. 



A. Blooming in spring : Ivs. appearing with the fls. 

 B. Color rosy lilac : size of anthers small. 



C. Anthers oblong, purple. 



1. montanum, Linn. (C. Bertolonii, Stev.). An im- 

 portant and variable species, with many synonyms and 

 variations. Baker makes 7 forms. Corm ovoid, 1-K in. 

 thick, the tunics brown, membranaceous, the inner 

 ones produced to a point 2-4 in. above the neck : Ivs. 2-3, 

 rarely 4-6, linear or lanceolate, about 2-3 in. long at the 

 time of flowering, finally 6-9 in. long: fls. 1-4, in spring 

 and autumn. Oct. -June. Mediterranean region, from 

 Spain to Persia. B.M. 6443. -It appears in early spring 

 with the snowdrops and crocuses. 



cc. Anthers linear, yellow. 



2. Steveni, Kunth. Corm narrower than in No. 1, 

 about %-%in. thick : Ivs. at length 4-5 in. long : fls. 

 Oct.-Jari. Syria, Arabia, Persia. Less popular than 

 No. 1. 



BB. Color yellow : sise of anthers large. 



3. luteum, Baker. v This is the only yellow-flowered 

 form in the genus, all the others ranging from purple 

 to white. Although it belongs to the Mediterranean 

 group, with Ivs. and fls. produced at the same time and 

 in spring, it is a native of western India at an elevation 

 of 7,000-8,000 ft. Corm tunics dark brown, sometimes 

 almost black: Ivs. 3 or 4, wider and less tapering than 

 in No. 1, at the time of flowering 3-4 in. long, finally 6-7 

 in. long. B. M. 6153. Not advertised in American trade, 

 but very desirable. 



AA. Blooming in autumn : Ivs. appearing after the fls. 

 B. Perianth tessellated or checkered 



c. Tessellation distinct. 

 D. Lvs. spreading or prostrate. 



4. variegatum, Linn. Lvs. 2-3, lanceolate, about 6 in. 

 long, 12-15 lines wide, lying flat on the ground; margins 

 wavy : fls. 2-3 from each spathe, 4 in. across, with a 

 white tube. Islands of the Levant and Asia Minor. 

 B. M. 1028. 



C. Parkinsoni, Hook. f. (B. M. 6090), is the best of all 

 the tessellated forms, the tessellation being more sharply 

 defined and more delicate than the type. It is a smaller 

 plant, and has shorter and more strongly undulated Ivs., 

 which lie closer to the ground. Of this plant Parkinson 

 said in his Paradisus Terrestris, 1629: "This most 

 beautiful saffron flower riseth up with his flowers in 

 the Autumn, as the others before specified do, although 

 not of so large a size, yet far more pleasant and delight- 

 ful in the thick, deep blew or purple-colored beautiful 

 spots therein, which make it excel all others whatsoever. 

 The leaves rise up in the Spring, being smaller than the 

 former, for the most part 3 in number, and of a paler 

 or fresher green colour, lying close upon the ground, 

 broad at the bottom, a little pointed at the end, and 

 twining and folding themselves in and out at the edges 

 as if they were indented. I have not seen any seed it 

 hath borne. The root is like unto the others of this kinde, 

 but small and long, and not so great ; it flowreth later 

 for the most part than any of the other, even not until 

 November, and is very hard to be preserved with us, in 

 that for the most part the root waxeth lesse and lesse 

 every year, our cold country being so contrary unto his 

 natural that it will scarce shew his flower; yet when it 

 flowereth anything earlie, that it may have any comfort 

 of a warm Sun, it is the glory of all these kindes." 



DD. Lvs. ascending. 

 E. Margin of Ivs. wavy. 



5. Aggripinum, Baker ( C. tessellatum, Hort. ) . Corms 

 a trifle thicker than in No. 4: Ivs. 3-4, 6-9 in. long, 12-15 

 lines wide, margin wavy: fls. 2-4 from each spathe. 

 F.S. 11:1153. This is a marked form of C. variegatum, 

 of garden origin, which has similar fls., but a more ro- 

 bust habit and more nearly erect Ivs. 



EE. Margin of Ivs. flat, not wavy. 



6. Bivdnse, Guss. Lvs. 6-9, nearly 1 ft. long, 9-15 

 lines wide, rather hooded at the apex, margin flat, not 

 wavy: fls. 1-6 from each spathe. Sicily. 



cc. Tessellation less distinct. 



7. Sibthorpi, Baker. Easily distinguished from Nos. 

 4, 5, and 6 by the much broader segments of the peri- 

 anth, and by the Ivs., which are nearly erect, obtuse, 

 and not at all wavy: Ivs. 5-6, dull green finally 1 ft. or 

 more long, l%-2% wide, narrowed gradually to the base: 

 spathe striped with green, and tinged with lilac at the 

 tip : fls. 1-5 from each spathe ; perianth tube often 

 6 in. long. Mts. of Greece. B. M. 7181. A large, cup- 

 shaped flower, showing no open spaces between the 

 broad, overlapping segments. Very handsome. 



