CRINUM 



CROCUS 



401 



FF. Margin of 7r.s. smooth. 



21. gigantSum, And. Bulb 5-6 in. thick : Ivs. 12 or 

 more, 2-3 ft. long, 34 in. broad, narrowed toward the 

 base; veins distant, with distinct cross veinlets : fls. 4-6, 

 rarely 8-12 : tube 4-7 in. long ; perianth pure white ; seg- 

 ments much imbricated. So. Afr. B.M.923. F.S. 23:2443. 

 G. F. 4: 223. I. H. 33: 617.- A very fragrant species. 



22. virgineum, Mart. Foliage as in G. giganteum : fls. 

 about (i ; tube 3-4 in. long ; perianth pure white. South 

 Brazil. Sec also (\ \'l njinicnin , under No. 19. 



In addition to the above species the following are advertised, 

 but not sufficiently described : C. nobile, C. Temense, and C. 

 Zanzibarcnsc. 



CROC6SMIA (Greek, odor of saffron, which is perceiv- 

 able when the dried tts. are placed in warm water). Iri- 

 da<-i . This genus has only one species, and is not 

 clearly distinguished by Baker from the closely allied 

 Tritonia, but according to the author of the genus, it 

 differs in the stamens being separated at equal dis- 

 tances instead of grouped at one side, the form of the 

 limb, the tube not swelled at the top, and the fruit 

 3-seeded instead of many-seeded. The name of this 

 genus is spelled Crocosma by Baker, but it was first 

 spelled Crocosmia. 



Crocosmia aurea is a showy bulbous autumn bloom- 

 ing plant, which is hardy south of Washington, D. C., 

 with slight protection, and in the north is treated like 

 Gladiolus, the bulbs being set out in the spring, after 

 danger of frost, and lifted in the fall for winter storage. 

 It is of easy culture, and is propagated by offsets or by 

 seeds. Bulbs should be stored in peat or sphagnum to 

 prevent them from becoming too dry. 



aurea, Planch. ( Tritonia aurea, Pappe. ) . Height-2 ft. : 

 bulb globose, emitting offsets from clefts in the side: 

 scape l>2-2 ft. high, leafy below, naked or only bracted 

 above, compressed, 2-winged : Ivs. distichous, shorter 

 than the scape, linear, ensiform, striated, but with a 

 distinct midrib : fls. sessile in the panicle, perhaps 25 

 scattered over a long season, with buds, flowers and 

 seeds at the same time ; perianth bright orange-yellow 

 toward center; tube slender, curved, 1 in. long; segments 

 longer than the tube, capsule 3-celled. Trop. and S. Afr. 

 July-Oct. F. S. 7: 702. B. M. 4335. Also interesting as 

 one parent of a bigeneric cross resulting in Tritonia 

 crocosmi flora. Var. imperialis, Hort. (Fig. 582), grows 

 about 4 ft. high. Var. maculata, Baker, has dark 

 blotches above the base of the 3 inner segments. J. H. 

 III. 33: 567. j. x. GEKARD and W. M. 



CROCUS (Greek name of Saffron). Iriddcece. Stem- 

 less plants (the grass-like Ivs. rising from the ground or 

 corm), with solid bulbs or corms. Fls. showy, in many 

 colors, funnel-shaped and erect, with a very long tube 

 and 6 nearly or quite equal segments. Stamens 3. 

 Ovary 3-loculed: seeds many, nearly globular. The 

 flowers open in sunshine. They come in fall or spring, * 

 but the best known species are spring-flowering, which 

 are amongst the earliest of spring bloom. The new 

 corm usually grows on top of the old one each vear, 

 so that the plants tend to rise out of the ground. "The 

 corms, therefore, should be lifted and replanted every 

 three or four years. Crocuses force easily (see Bulb). 

 A half dozen corms may be planted in a 4-inch pot for 

 this purpose. The genus Crocus is S. European and 

 Southwestern Asian. It has about 70 recognized species. 

 The best account of the Crocuses is G. Maw's superb 

 Monograph of the Genus Crocus, 1886. A popular ac- 

 count of the history and species, by Baker, will be found 

 in Gardeners' Chronicle for 1873, pp. 107, 179, 291, 434, 

 542, 609, 680, 1402, 1431, 1466, 1533, 1633. A condensed 

 account is contained in Baker's Handbook of the Irideae, 

 1892 - L. H. B. 



Many forms of Crocus are well known in gardens, 

 where they are justly valued as among the showiest 

 and brightest of winter and spring flowers. About two- 

 thirds of the species are classed as vernal and the bal- 

 ance as autumnal flowering; but the various members of 

 the tribe would furnish nearly continuous bloom from 

 August to May were the season open. While there are 

 numerous species interesting to a botanist or a collector, 



26 



practically the best for general cultivation are C. Im- 

 perati, C. Snxi<tnux (Cloth of Gold Crocus) and the 

 Dutch hybrids, mostly of C. Mcesiacus. These flower in 

 about the order named. The rosy flowers of C. Imperati 

 may be expected with the earliest snowdrops. The 

 named species, having shorter flower tubes than the 

 Dutch hybrids, are not as liable to injury by the severe 

 weather of the early year. The autumnal species are not 

 satisfactory garden plants, the flowers mostly appearing 

 before the leaves, and being easily injured. C. speciosus 

 and C. sativus are probably the most satisfactory. The 

 latter species has been cultivated from time imme- 

 morial, the stamens having a medicinal reputation, and 

 being a source of color ( saffron). The cultivation of this 

 species is a small industry in France, Spain and Italy. 

 The corms should be planted about 3 inches deep, 

 in a well-worked and perfectly drained soil which is free 

 from clay or the decaying humus of manure, etc. They 

 should be carefully examined and all bruised and imper- 



582. Crocosmia aurea, var. imperalis (X 



feet ones rejected, as they are very susceptible to attacks 

 of fungi, which, gaining a footing on decrepit corms, will 

 spread to others. The careful gardener will examine all 

 exotic small bulbs annually, or at least biennally, until 

 they show by the perfection of their new bulbs that they 

 have become naturalized, or are suited to their new en- 

 vironment. In this case they may be allowed to remain 

 until crowding requires their division. This examina- 

 tion should take place after the leaves are matured and 

 dried up. Increase may be had from new corms which 

 are produced more or less freely in different species over 

 or on the sides of old corms. Seeds are often produced 

 freely, but are apt to be overlooked, as they are formed at 

 the surface of the soil. These germinate readily and 

 most freely at the growing time of the plant. They 

 should preferably be germinated in seed pans, which 

 should be exposed to freezing before the natural germi- 



