PLATE VIII.— CROCUS. 



,i th j ass ftjKsr ■?•& ^Ktross^^ .aras their ** and *-* *"■* -* vie 



continued ™°^^^^ '^ iMS? * 7^ «"*■*»■■ t0 that "*** ° f « *9% which is 



which has been cultivated for centuries vie ds that beauri ul ^LTr ?™ Y ^5 to J™™™ nd *• for the Saffron or Crocus sativus, 

 also in medicine. It is from the sSas which are o a .1 nl T" 6 ,^ ^ 1S USed f ° r d ^ ein g' for flavouri "8 S ™P*> and 

 This order is characterised by havTng thre st^enl thl^nt^^ v^ ° Ur PaSSmg T ye i loW ' that the d ? e is obtainc d- 

 Fi<r«, 1 QT ,H 9 t ,r<r T ' WhlCh ° pen outwards > and the stigmas usually petaloid. 



Figs. 1 and 2. Two different flowers are represented to show the relative position of Stigma and Anther in each case 



-^rVJsJSiaErs :& s i^r^s^ Anthers ' whi,e fig - 2 shows the -^ s - - «* 



Fig. 3. Perianth of six Segments, uniting below to form a long slender tube. 

 Fig. 4. Detach flower from underground stem, and slit it up from below 

 Flower-stalk, relatively short. 



Pe ^t^^Cln^cSed the Sh ° Wy SCgmentS - ThC SegmCntS are USUally equa1 ' but in this l- rticular inst — 



Ovary, underground, and Ovules arranged around a central axis. The Ovary is apparently inferior and the Perianth 



Fig.T' aS ^^ PCnS thC Perianth - tube is clearl y see » to arise from LbSe "of it ^ftta 



The ovules are fertilised while still underground, but the flower-stalk afterwards lengthens, thus raising the Ovary 

 above ground where the ripening of the seeds is completed. g y 



Style, long and filamentous, usually projecting from the tube and ending in the three-lobed Stigma 

 Diagrams I. and II.-Examine young Crocus, and make out spiral arrangement of Perianth-leaves as in Diag II 

 Plan of Flower— b 



Calyx of three coloured Sepals, ) 



Corolla of three coloured Petals, J united at Dase to for™ a tube. 



Andrcecium of three Stamens inserted at the base of the three outer segments of the Perianth 

 Gyncecium of three united Carpels. 

 Fig. 5. The underground Stem is distinguished as a Conn (Lat. corrnus, a solid bulb), because the swollen portion is chiefly com- 

 posed of stem, whereas in the Bulb it is composed largely of the swollen bases of leaves as well. 

 Fig. 6. Fo ^^ v 5 d fo n & narrow and Pointed, with a furrmo running along the middle, and a corresponding ridge on the 



This is well seen in a transverse section of the leaf. 

 Fig. 7. Stamen— the Filament is flattened, and the Anther is arrow-shaped. 



Fig. 8. The Stigmatic surface is a lobed expansion, and when fully expanded, as in c, there are three distinct stigmas. 

 Fig. 9. Fruit, a Capsule which opens by three valves, and has an elongated slender stalk. Each carpel splits alona the middle 



of its length, so that each valve of the fruit is composed of the halves of two adjacent carpel ° 



Fig. 10. Seed, somewhat globular, and containing Endosperm in addition to the Embryo. 



CLASSIFICATION. 



Class. — Monocotyledon. 

 Order. — Iridaceae. 



Leaves, long and narrow. 



Perianth, petaloid, of six segments. 



Stamens, three, with anthers opening outwards. 



Carpels, three, united. 



Ovules, numerous; Placentation, axile. 



Fruit, capsular, opening by valves. 



Seed with endosperm. 



