Crocus. | | LXXXII. IRIDEM. 451 
Flowers in spring, with the leaves. Stigmas wedge-shaped, and 
slightly jagged : ‘ 2 . . A * ; A A 
Flowers in autumn, without leaves, Stigmas cut into a many- 
lobed fringe . ° ° ° ° f ‘ . 2 C. nudiflorus. 
1, ©. vernus, All. (fig. 1020). Spring or Purple Crocus.—Leaves 
enclosed at the base in a tube of 2 or 3 thin, scarious sheathing scales. 
Flowers solitary within the leaves, of a blueish-purple; the ovary sessile on 
the bulb, the long tube enclosed at the base in a sheath similar to that of 
the leaves. Stigmas of a rich-orange, dilated at the top, and slightly 
jagged, but not deeply fringed. 
In meadows, in the hilly districts of central and southern Europe, not 
further north than central France, In Britain, naturalized in meadows of 
Nottingham, Suffolk, and Middlesex. #7. early spring. 
2, ©. nudifiorus, Sm. (fig. 1021). Naked Crocus.—Flowers rather 
larger than in C. vernus, appearing after the leaves of the year have 
withered, and before those of the following year have developed. They 
somewhat resemble the flowers of Colchicum autumnale, but are readily dis- 
tinguished by the 3, not 6, stamens. Tube very long, enclosed halfway up 
in the sheathing scales. Stigmas deeply cut into an clegant orange fringe 
or tassel, 
In meadows and pastures, in south-western Europe, but not nearer to us 
than south-western France. Naturalized in the meadows of several of the 
midland counties. £7, autumn. 
Socom 
LXXXIII. AMARYLLIDEA, THE AMARYLLIS 
FAMILY. 
Rootstock bulbous, except in a very few exotic genera. 
Leaves radical and parallel-veined. Perianth petal-like, with 
6 segments. Stamens 6, the anthers turned inwards. Ovary 
inferior or adherent to the perianth-tube, 3-celled. Fruit a 
capsule, with several seeds, opening in 3 valves. 
A large Order, widely distributed over the globe, chiefly in dry, sunny 
countries ; differing from the Zi/y family in the inferior ovary, from the 
Iris family in the 6 stamens. 
Perianth tubular at the base, the limb spreading, with a cup- 
shaped or tubular crown at the mouth of the tube . 
Perianth divided to the ovary, without any crown. 
Three outer perianth-segments larger than the inner ones . . 2 GALANTHUS, 
Perianth-segmentsallequal . siete ie ta » 3 Levcorum. 
Many of the most showy exotic bulbous plants grown in our gardens 
and planthouses belong to this family, including the genera Amaryllis, 
Alstremeria, Crinum, Nerine (called Guernsey Lily, from an erroneous 
impression that it was indigenous in the Channel Islands), and others, 
besides the gigantic Agave americana, commonly called Aloe, but not a 
congener of the true Aloes of botanists, which are Liliaceous plants. 
1. C. vernus. 
» 1. NARCISSUS, 
I. NARCISSUS. NARCISSUS. 
Flowers either solitary or several together, from a terminal spatha. 
Perianth with a distinct tube above the ovary, and 6 usually spreading 
GgZ 
