seen and, perhaps, little known; the
name would imply that it is a variety having equal traits of two other
forms. It blooms in January and the flowers appear without any foliage.
So well is the Crocus known, it will only be needful to state the more
striking features of the one under notice.

The flowers are produced on tubes 3in. to 5in. long, and stoutly formed;
the colour is a shaded lilac-purple, striped with darker lines; the
petals or divisions of the perianth are 11/2in. long and 1/2in. broad,
shining or satiny, and become well expanded during the short moments of
winter sunshine; the stamens are half the length of perianth, of a fine
deep orange colour, and covered with a thick coat of pollen all their
visible length. In rich contrast with these is the style, with its tuft
of filaments of a bright orange scarlet colour. From this description it
will be seen that the flower is a rather small Crocus, but from the soft
tints of the perianth, and more pronounced and bright colours of the
seed organs, it is one of much beauty. These features, added to the
facts of the bloom appearing in winter and having the scent of wild
roses, are sure to render it a favourite kind wherever grown. The leaves
are short and narrow, almost grassy.

It enjoys a light but rich loam and sunny aspect, and increases itself
freely by offsets of the matured corms, clumps of which may be divided
after the foliage has withered.

Flowering period, January.

Cyananthus Lobatus.

_Nat. Ord._ POLEMONACEAE.

A small plant with a large flower, a veritable gem; no collection of
choice alpines can be complete without this species. A native of Chinese
Tartary, brought to this country in 1844, where it proves perfectly
hardy in the most exposed parts of the open garden; it is herbaceous and
perennial; its large and brilliant flowers are very beautiful, but all
its other parts are small, as may be seen in the illustration (Fig. 31).
It is seldom met with except in collections of rare plants, but there is
no reason why it should not be more commonly grown, as its requirements
are now well understood. It is not a showy subject, but, when examined,
it proves of exquisite beauty.

The flowers are of a bright purple-blue colour, over an inch across, the
petals being of good substance, tongue-shaped, and falling backwards,
when the china-like whiteness about the top of the tube becomes more
exposed; the calyx is very large, nearly egg-shaped,