A HISTORY OF THE SPECIES OF CROCUS. 



271 



though extending westward to Cevennes, and said to be found, 

 though very rare, in the Pyrenees, not having been discovered in 

 Spain. 



Sp. 24. C. vermis, L. 



C. cormi tunica vaginacea interiore reticulata infra medium cormum affixa, 

 proxima reticulata fibris inferne longis parallelis basim cormi non at- 

 tingente (unde zona radicalis a basi distat) foliacea exteriore reticulata 

 in fronte cormi affixa, involucro tubato scapum laxe amplexo vaginas 

 vix sequante, scapo saepe elongato (triuncialem vidi) spatha tubata 

 acuta, ebracteata superne virescente tubum subaequante, tubi fauce bar- 

 bata nunquam lutea, limbo purpureo vel albescente vel bicolore aut 

 striato, styli longitudine variabili, stigmatibus capitato-multifidis croceis 

 (interdum in cultis albeseentibus), foliis 3-4 utrinque attenuatis mar- 

 ginibus tenuibus laevibus costa canaliculis vix nervatis angustiore. 



I distinguish the following varieties : — 



Var. 1. Communis ; flore minore violaceo, vel albescente vel bicolore aut 

 striato. 



Subvar. 1. Obovatus ; C. albiflorus, Schultz. Flore albo laciniis obo- 

 vatis. In Alpibus Vindelicioe. 



2. Elatior ; C. longiflorus, Heget Flora Sw. Flore acuto longiore ; 

 in Alpe Pilato. 



3. Albiflorus; C. albiflorus, Schultz Mant, i. 367, limbo acuto. In 

 Montibus Carinthiae et prope Cevennas. Nascuntur in foresta 

 Lepizzae prope Tergestem C. vernus v. albiflorus et v. violaceus, 

 sed non in eodem loco. 



4. Aprilis ; Sabine, flore tardo violaceo. 



5. Parviflorus ; flore albo tubo violaceo. In Alpe Splugen dicto et 

 alibi. 



Var. 2. Neapolitanus, Bot. Mag., 8G0, var. culta 2240 ; flore majore se- 

 palis saturatius violaceis petalis plumeo-violaceis. In Monte Calabro 

 celsissimo Monte Pollino dicto mense Junio et Julio floret, et alibi in 

 Lucania et Calabria, ad alt. 5-6000 ped. 



Var. 3. Nivigena; C vernus; Marsch. a Bieb. C. Nivigena; Bot. Reg., 

 29. Misc. 130. C. tunicis quibusdam aliquando in spontaneis connatis, 

 non ita in cultis, flore magno laciniis obovatis cucullate incurvis pul- 

 cherrime striatis; variat saturate violaceus. Habitat deserta Steppes 

 dicta prope Odessam. 



Native of the Alps of Europe. 



C. vernus is one of the most widely-extended Croci, and of 

 the easiest culture, producing seeds abundantly, which, as neither 

 the birds nor the mice seem to eat them, become almost a nui- 

 sance, from the multitude of self-sown seedlings, which come up 

 spontaneously, and intrude where they are not wanted. It is 

 the Crocus of the Alps, but its flower is small there, promiscu- 

 ously purple and white or whitish, generally with the throat 

 purple on the outside, but always white and hairy within. It 

 reaches Cevennes ; and I am told it is to be found, though rare, 

 on the Pyrenees. Brotero states it to be found in the north of 

 Portugal, but his plant is perhaps C. Carpetanus. It extends, 

 with white acute flowers, into Carinthia, and is found white, with 



