of FI. Grceca represents a moderate native root in its last
period of flowering; for the purpose, doubtless, of better
representing the then elongated leaves.
Sir James Smith, in his English Flora, doubts not the
British origin of this plant, and decides it to be the same
as the C. reticulalus of Flora Taurico-Caucasica, which
itself is merely one of the many varieties of C.revolutus of
Hort. Trans, v. 1. p. 136. And it is the true or first C. me-
siacus of all authors except Ker, who erroneously applies
that ancient synonym to our now most common, fullest-
flowering, and most showy Crocus of all, which is figured
from a weak specimen under the name of C. vernus by
Curtis, in Bot. Mag. t. 45, and which was not known either
in books or gardens before the time of our own immortal
Ray.
In the account of the varieties |3 and y of this species in
Hort. Trans, v. 1. p. 134, drawn up merely from three or
four withering flowers without root or leaf, it was said
that they “ would probably prove a distinct species,” and
they have already proved such : so that our Crocus aureus
remains without a single known variety ; a 'rather rare
occurrence in the genus, which is very inconstant both in
the size and form, and in the very varying hues of its beautiful
flowers.—A. H. H.
Since the above was written, Dr. Hooker has published
this plant as Crocus aureus, in the Botanical Magazine,
t. 2986: hence we have several concurring opinions regarding
the name.—J. D. C. S.