261 



A HISTORY OF THE SPECIES OF CROCUS. 



matia, though I have received many of the roots, taken up while 

 growing, which died on the passage. Professor Visiani identifies 

 it with C. Pallasianus and C. Thomasianus, but it is certainly 

 very different from the latter, which I have flowered, and seems 

 to be distinguished by the yellow throat from Pallasianus of the 

 Crimea, and to approach more nearly to C. Hadriaticus, its nearer 

 neighbour. 



Sp. 14. C. Cartwrightianus. Herbert, in Bot. Reg. 1843, 

 Misc. 131. Ib. 1844, f. 3 ; 1845, f. 37, b. 



C. c. tun. omnibus tenuiter membranaceis fibris extus superne subtiliter 

 reticulatis (tunicis obsoletis demum inferne parallelo-fibrosis), vaginaceis 

 circiter quinque, duabus inter quas zona radicalis est prope basira 

 affixis tertia aliquantum supra, interiore medio cormo affixa. et duabus 

 foliaceis proximis basi spiraliter sscpe connexu, foliaceis omnibus longe 

 lato-complanate apiculatis exteriore j unc. infra apicem affixa, tertia 

 et quarta a vaginaceis (uescio an semper) connatis, quinta basi semi- 

 circulari, foliis 6-8 vel paucioribus angustis margine reflexo et costa 

 dorsali dense minute ciliatis canaliculis vix nervatis ortu proteranthiis 

 serius explicatis depressis, involucro bifloro (floribus interdum simul- 

 taneis) spathis hyalinis parum breviore, bractea acuta tubum involvente 

 non tubata spatham asquante, genuine albican te, tubo sesquiunciam 

 exserto, limbo albo vel purpurascente venis ad petalorum basim saturate 

 alies dilutiiis purpureis, fauce extus purpurascente intus alba ; barba, 

 alba petalina, sepalorum basi loevi, filamentis albis lsevibus \ unc. infra 

 faucem ipsam insertis, antberis aureis ultra § unc, stylo truncato 

 odorato saturate coccineo lobis usque ad faucem tubi divisis superne 

 crassioribus stigmatibus breviter incisis, seminibus brunneo-purpureis 

 in hoc genere magnis angulate subrotundis. 



Native of the islands Teno and Scyro, flowering in October, 

 November, December, and January ; a variety called creticus 

 (JBot. Reg. 1845, 37, y. 7), with the sepals pale yellow exter- 

 nally, and the limb usually smaller, has been found near the 

 town of Canea in Candia. 



I am indebted to my excellent friend Mr. Cartwright, who 

 has lately retired from the British consulate at Constantinople, 

 which he had so long and so creditably filled, for the knowledge 

 and possession of these desirable plants. They flower freely with 

 me, and the flowers, which are fragrant, have the great merit of 

 expanding easily, and not closing again willingly, standing open 

 in cloudy weather, and even at night. I have seen them in 

 flower in the garden at Spofforth as late as January, and as early 

 as the end of September, and they ripen some seed with me, 

 especially those which have been potted and flowered in the 

 room. It is difficult to find two plants exactly similar. One 

 only had a pure white flower ; the prevailing colour is white, 

 more or less starred inside with purple lines, but the ground is 

 often of a pale and sometimes of a pretty rich purple. The 

 throat, however, is never yellow. 



