252 
NATURAL HISTORY 
Of all the propensities of plants none seem more strange 
than their different periods of blossoming. Some produce 
their flowers in the winter^ or very first dawnings of spring ; 
many when the spring is established ; some at midsummer ; 
and some not till autumn. When we see the Hellehorus 
foetidus and Hellehorus niger blowing at Christmas, the 
Hellehorus hyemalis^ in January, and the Hellehorus viridis 
as soon as ever it emerges out of the ground, we do not 
wonder, because they are kindred plants that we expect 
should keep pace the one with the other. But other con- 
generous vegetables differ so widely in their time of flower- 
ing, that we cannot but admire. I shall only instance at 
present in the Crocus satlvus, the vernal, and the autumnal 
crocus, which have such an affinity, that the best botanista 
only make them varieties of the same genus, of which there 
is only one species ; not being able to discern any differ- 
ence in the corolla^ or in the internal structure. Yet the 
vernal crocus expands its flowers by the beginning of 
March at farthest, and often in very rigorous weather ; and 
cannot be retarded but by some violence offered : — while 
the autumnal (the Saffron) defies the influence of the spring 
and summer, and will not blow till most plants begin to 
fade and run to seed. This circumstance is one of the 
wonders of the creation, little noticed, because a common 
occurrence ; yet ought not to be overlooked on account 
of its being familiar, since it would be as difficult to 
Selborne as a locality will be found 'scattered throughout Dr. Brom- 
field's Catalogue of Hampshire Plants (op. cit. vols. iii. iv.) 
Dr. Trinien adds : " The singular parasitic Toothwort, Lathrcea 
squamaria, and the pretty Marsh Cinquefoil, Comarum palustre^ do not 
seem to have been recorded since Gilbert White's day for this part of 
Hampshire. The Mezereon above noticed may have been planted in 
the Hanger (see ' Phytologist,' vol. iii. p. 794). As an indication of 
the advance which has been made in the knowledge of plants since 
White's observations were penned, it may be mentioned that upon the 
lowest computation the species of Crocus now known to botanists amount 
to forty-seven. The three mentioned by White, Crocus sativus, C. 
vermis, and C. nudiflorus^ are now universally considered to be distinct 
and well-defined species." — Ed. 
^ Eranthis hyemalis of recent authors. 
