232 THE COLCHICUM. 



THE COLCHICUM. 



All plants of this family resemble the crocus, and are 

 commonly known as autumnal crocus, or meadow saffron. 

 The botanical difference consists in the crocus having three 

 stamens, and the colchicum six ; the colchicum also produ- 

 cing many more flowers from the same bulb. 



All the family are natives of Europe or Asia. These 

 plants need only to be planted in common garden-loam, where 

 they increase very rapidly, and flower freely. All are per- 

 fectly hardy. The peculiarity of the plant is its producing 

 its flower in the autumn, and throwing up the foliage and 

 ripening its seed in the next spring. 



C. autumnale. A pretty species, throwing some six or 

 eight flowers from each bulb in November. The flowers 

 are purple, and there are white and double varieties. 



C. Byzantinum. A native of Turkey, with large bulbs, 

 each producing sixteen to twenty flowers in autumn, 

 succeeded by the leaves in May. The flowers are pur- 

 ple. 



There are other species ; but they are seldom cultivated, 

 though perfectly hardy. 



