142 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



Amongst Pteris and in open places. Very rare. In several places in 

 the New Forest about Lyndhurst, Hants. Isle of Wight (Mr. A. G. 

 More). Sent to Mr. W. G. Smith, by Mrs. Gulson, from " Bitton 

 Wood, near Teignmouth, Devon." (Seem. Journ. of Bot. 1865, p. 

 220.) 



England. Perennial. Summer. 



Flowering conn about the size of a hazel-nut, with numerous pale 

 chestnut fibrous coats ; the fibres loose and parallel below, but inter- 

 lacing and forming meshes above, which, however, are by no means 

 always elongate as is sometimes stated ; bulbules at the base of the 

 corm numerous, about as large as hemp seed. Stem 1 to 3 feet high. 

 Leaves shorter than the spike, ^ to ^ inch broad, tapering to an acute 

 point, glaucous. Flowers 3 to 10, all turned one way. Perianth 1^ 

 to 1|^ inch long, rich crimson-purple, the three lowest segments each 

 with a purple line enclosing a paler spot at the apex. Anthers yellow, 

 about ^ inch long. Stigmas oblanceolate, at first folded, afterwards 

 flat. Capsule about ^ inch long, oblong-turbinate-trigonous, with 

 three slightly elevated keels on the top. Seeds reddish-brown, with a 

 wing scarcely so broad as the solid portion. 



This no doubt is a sub-species of G. communis, differing principally 

 from the typical form in its smaller size, more elongate corms, 

 narrower leaves, fewer smaller and darker purjile flowers with shorter 

 and more acuminated spathes, shorter capsules and smaller seeds. 

 The differences which are alleged to exist in the basal cusps of the 

 anthers, and in the form of the divisions of the stigma, I am unable to 

 perceive after cultivating the two sub-species side by side for six 

 years; but G. Illyricus is always a little later in flowering than G. (eu)- 

 communis.* 



From my own observation of G. Illyricus growing in the New Forest, 

 as well as from that of all the botanists who have seen it there, there 

 can be no doubt that the plant is truly native in that locaUty. In the 

 Isle of Wight, 1 believe but a single specimen was found. 



Lesser Gladiolus. 



Frencli, Gldieul commun. German, Oemeine Siegwurz. 



The cultivated varieties of Gladiolus are among the most ornamental plants of our 

 gardens, and are fast becoming the pets of the florist. Blooming in autumn, tall, 

 handsome, richly coloured in great variety, and admirably adapted for planting in 

 masses, they are in every way a necessity to the gardener, and of very easy culture. 



* In a paper written by me in the " Journal of Botany " for 1863, p. 134, I stated 

 my belief that G. dubius. Pari, was simply a synonym of G. eu-communis. Since that 

 paper was written, I have cultivated G. dubius, and find it flowers about three weeks 

 earlier than G. (eu)-communis, and has the capsule considerably longer and oblong- 

 fusiform, not oblong-turbinate as in the common plant, so that it must be considered 

 as a distinct sub-spccics. — Ed. 



