NOTES ON THE GENUS TULIPA. 
197 
good characters by which to separate them, are T. prcecox, of 
Tenore, “Bot. Reg./’ t. 204, 380, 1143; T. Racldii and T. 
nutleolens, Reboul, “Bot. Reg.,” 1839, t. 66; and some Eastern 
forms which are distinguished by Mr. Baker as var. Lycica and 
var. Aleppica. 
The form most commonly known in cultivation is T. prcecox, and 
I am not aware whether living specimens of the true Oculis solis, 
supposing that it is to be distinguished, are now in England. 
As, however, it is found in several localities in the South of 
France—as Lattes, near Montpellier, Agen, Cavaillion, Cassis, 
near Marseilles (this variety has been distinguished as Lorteti) 
—there ought to be no difficulty in clearing up the matter. The 
points of distinction principally relied on, which seem to be the 
narrower more pointed perianth segments and larger eye of 
Oculis solis, may be constant; though I am inclined to doubt it. 
T. prcecox is one of the earliest flowering Tulips, being usually 
out by the end of March or beginning of April, and grows to 
nearly two feet high. The form called Maleolens, which is 
found near Florence and Lucca, is dwarfer, and has an un¬ 
pleasant smell. I have never seen it alive, but Mr. Strangways, 
who cultivated it, as well as the Eastern form from the 
Euphrates, considered them both to be forms of Oculis solis. 
T. montana, Lindl., “ Bot. Reg.,” 1106. This is a species 
which, though widely distributed through Western Asia, from 
Armenia to Afghanistan, does not appear to be now in cultiva¬ 
tion. The colour is bright crimson in the plant figured by Lindley, 
but the principal character by which it may be distinguished 
from other Oriental Tulips is the dense wool which covers the 
interior of the bulb coats. These in wild specimens are very 
often produced into a long neck, and are much more con¬ 
spicuous than they would be in cultivation. I have often 
noticed in the imported bulbs of Tulips, Croci, Watsonias, and 
other plants which are natives of countries subject to long and 
severe droughts, that the annually formed coats of the bulbs do 
not decay for many years, and by their great thickness no doubt 
protect the bulbs which they cover from the effect of drought. 
In cultivation, however, they are not nearly so highly developed 
or conspicuous, so that one would hardly recognize the plump 
thin-skinned bulb which is produced under good cultivation. 
T. clirysantha, Boiss. This appears to be a very distinct 
