CULTURE OF CROCUSES. 
205 
flowers open in the end of January, if the season be mild, and are all in full flower 
in February ; they have an agreeable but not powerful scent, and the following 
common characters the outer coats of the roots are circularly divided, their leaves 
are narrow, spreading and long ; the petals white, or nearly so, with brown or 
purple featherings on their external ones ; the insides of the flowers white, except 
the bottom, which is tinged with yellow ; the anthers pale yellow, and of a moderate 
size ; the stigmas deep orange, and conspicuous. 
C. bijlorus communis. This is the most common in our gardens. It comes into 
flower later than the other varieties of the species. The leaves at the time of inflo- 
rescence are longer than the flowers, they are not numerous, they are at first upright, 
after a time, -when they become elongated, they spread over the ground ; they decay 
early. Petals pure white, oblong, concave, and obtuse, in decay assuming a bluish 
tinge ; the outer are emarginate (which is not the case with the other varieties), at 
first cream-coloured, with fine distinct purple feathered stripes, extending their 
whole length, with two narrow short stripes besides on each side ,* the inner petals 
are broadest, and have at the base a dull greenish purple spot, feathered and pointed 
at its apex ; the yellow colouring at the bottom of the flower within is also seen 
externally. It produces seeds freely. 
C . bijlorus Parlcinsonii. Scotch Crocus with white leaf-sheaths. This is the 
“ Ordinary striped Crocus ” of Parkinson and Miller. The leaves are narrower 
than those of the preceding, and are rather more numerous. The petals are white, 
but not so pure as in the preceding, they having sometimes a slight lilac tinge ; the 
three outer are much more cream-coloured, and have only three purple stripes, of 
which the middle one is but slightly, whilst the two outer are very much, feathered 
on their outer side ; the spots at the base of the inner petals are narrower, extending 
higher in the middle part of the petal, and are more uniformly feathered. It produces 
seeds freely. 
C. bijlorus stigmatosus. Scotch Crocus, rfith elongated stigmas. This is 
similar to the first variety, with the following differences : — It flowers more freely 
and earlier. The leaves are at first longer, more diffuse, and they are the broadest 
of the three varieties. The petals are larger, subject to be somewhat deformed, and 
then appear emarginate ; the stripes on the backs of the outer petals are not like 
those on either of the others ; they are five, the two outer being rather undefined, 
and more feathered. The stigmas are visible at the top of the flower before it 
expands, and are nearly or quite as long as the petals, extending much above the 
anthers ; they are very deep orange, large, and are sometimes four in number, with 
a corresponding multiplication of the petals into eight, viz., four outer and four 
inner. It seldom produces seeds. 
8. Silvery Crocus. C. argenteus has two varieties, the C. argenteus 
Bavaticus. The flowers of this are small, and are produced abundantly and early. 
The tube of the flowers is rather more purple at the top, and there is less of yellow 
at its mouth than in any of the varieties of C. bijlorus. The petals are within of a 
delicate diluted lilac colour, the outer are narrower than the inner, and have three 
feathered stripes. It produces only a few seeds. The bulbs resemble those of C . 
bijlorus, but are smaller. 
VOL. i. — NO. IX. 
E E 
