784 
THE PRINCIPLES OF BOTANY. 
Colchis, a country of Asia, a country, according to Dr. 
Syme, “ said to be full of poisons, and this among the rest.” 
Characters of Colchicum. 
Perianth coloured, funnel-shaped, 
with a very long slender tube and a 
6-partite limb, withering. 
Stamens 6, inserted on the tube 
of the perianth ; anthers affixed by 
the back, versatile. Styles 3, fili- 
form, very long, stigmas slender. 
Capsule fusiform, 3-lobed septici- 
dally, 3-valved. Seeds numerous, 
sub-globose ; testa brown, rugose. 
Herbs with oblique- based corms, 
contained in brown or dark brown 
coats. Flowers in most of the 
species appearing in autumn after 
the leaves have decayed. The leaves 
produced at the close of winter, and 
capsule coming above ground in the 
following spring. Flowers lilac or 
pink, varying to white, resembling 
in form those of a crocus. 
Rootstock, an oblique based corm, 
rarely a “ bulb.” (Endlicher.) 
In Crocus the bud rises from the 
centre of the corm. 
Characters of Crocus. 
Perianth regular petafioid ; tube 
very long, straight, and extended 
much beyond the ovary; limb, 6- 
partite ; segments all nearly similar, 
incurved or recurved. 
Stamens 3, inserted on the base of 
the external segments of the peri- 
anth ; filaments filiform ; anthers 
affixed by the base. Ovary adhering 
to the base of the perianth tube, 
ovoid, bluntly trigonous, white; style 
very long, filiform ; stigmas 3, wedge- 
shaped, fleshy, denticulate or cut at 
the apex. ' Capsule of the consist- 
ence of parchment, fusiform, tri- 
gonous, loculicidal, 3-valved. Seeds 
few, globose, with a somewhat fleshy 
testa. 
Herbs with equal-based corms, 
covered by an envelope of parallel 
or interlacing fibres, or more rarely 
splitting into transverse rings. 
Leaves all radical-linear, often re- 
volute, channelled above, keeled 
beneath, with a white stripe on the 
upper side. Flowers large, showy, 
enclosed in a convolute membranous 
spathe ; the ovary remaining under- 
ground till after the time of flower- 
ing. — Sowerbf s English Botany , New 
Edition. 
We have been thus particular in quoting a somewhat tech- 
nical description of these two genera, because in plants so 
much alike in external aspect, and yet so dissimilar in quali- 
ties, it seemed important to distinguish them with accuracy. 
Colchicum autumnale is a native plant, sometimes called 
the “ autumn crocus,” from its similarity, both in colour and 
external form, to that plant, and in some counties “ naked 
ladies,” from their coming up without leaves. 
It is very local in its habitats, but is generally in large 
quantities where it occurs. It is fond of moist rich meadows, 
especially between woods, where there is a tolerable admix- 
ture of lime in the soil. 
The plant is so medicinally active in all its parts — flowers, 
foliage, seeds, and corm — and at all seasons of the year, that 
we cannot resist quoting Dr. Pereira’s description of it : 
“ The cormus, commonly called the bulb or root ( radix col- 
