1G2 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



I.— C. Coum. 



(The " common round-leafed sowe-bread " of Parkinson. 

 Confused by Reichenbach with C. europceum.) 



Blooms, in January, February, and March ; small ; deep 

 rosy red. 



Scent, none. 



Leaves, contemp. with flowers ; always nearly round ; smooth ; 

 dark green above ; neither variegated, toothed, nor lobed ; decided 

 purple below. 



Tubers, round, compressed, smooth ; roots proceeding from 

 the centre of the base. 



Habitat. It is very widely distributed, being found in 

 Germany, Italy, Greece, Syria, Turkey, Armenia, and the 

 Caucasus. 



This species is very hardy, thrusting its bright little head up 

 through the snow. It is easily recognised from its small plain 

 round dark leaf and short-stalked flower, which is the smallest 

 of all the species. 



There is a white variety called C. C. album ; and a garden 

 variety called Coum zonale, in which the leaf has a distinct 

 white zone. This may possibly be a hybrid between Coum and 

 repandum. 



C. orbiculatitm of Miller, Bot. Mag. t. 4, is considered only 

 a variety of Coum. 



II. — C. IBEEICUM. 



(Has borne the specific names of caucasicum, Coum, Coum- 

 ibericum, Coum vernum, vemum (Sweet), vernale, elegans, 

 and europium.) 



Blooms, in February and March ; bright red in the type, 

 with a purple spot at the base ; very variable. 

 Scent, none. 



Leaves, contemp. with flowers ; slightly heart-shaped ; often 

 slightly undulated at the edge ; always zoned with white above. 



Tuber and roots, similar to Coum, to which indeed it is a very 

 near relation ; but the whole plant, in all its parts, is slightly 

 bolder in habit, and the leaf difference can hardly be mistaken. 



Habitat, the Caucasus. 



