19. Crocus purpureus flammeus minor. The lesser purple flame coloured Crocus.
This Crocus hath almost as broad and long greene leaues as the former, and of the same verdure, which rise vp earlier then it, and is in flower likewise somewhat before it, being smaller for size by a little, but of as deepe a purple on the outside, as on the inside, flamed with faire broad stripes from the middle of the leaues, or somewhat lower vnto the edges: each of these giue seed that is of a pale reddish colour: the root is very like vnto the former, but a little lesser.
20. Crocus vernus purpureus Capillarifolio. The purple Crocus with small leaues.
This small kinde of Saffron flower riseth out of the ground, with two or three long and small green leaues, very like vnto the leaues of the fine Fether-Grasse hereafter described, standing vpright at the first, but afterwards lying vpon the ground; among which come the flowers, sometimes three, but most vsually two vpon one stalke, if the roote be not young, which then will beare but one on a stalke, which is very short, so that the flowers scarce arise aboue the ground, yet laying themselues open in the day time, if it be faire, and the Sunne doe shine, otherwise they keepe close, and doe not open at all: and after one flower is past, which doth not last aboue three or foure dayes at the most, the others follow, which are of a bleake blewish purple in the middle of the flower, and of a deeper purple towards the ends or points or the leaues, but of a more sullen or darke purple on the outside of them, and yellowish at the bottome, with some yellow chiues in the middle: the seede is small and darker coloured then any of the former Crocus, contained also in smaller heads, standing one by another vpon the same short foote-stalke, which then riseth vp a little higher, shewing the maner of the standing of the flowers, which in their flowring time could not so easily bee discerned: the roote is very small and round, hauing one side at the bottome lower then the other, very like the roote of a Colchicum or Medowe Saffron, and somewhat neare resembling also the hoofe of an horse foote, couered with a very thicke skinne, of a darke or blackish browne colour: this flowreth the last of all the former sorts of Saffron flowers, euen when they are all past.
21. Crocus vernus purpureus striatus Capillarifolio. The stript purple Crocus with small leaues.
This small stript purple Saffron flower hath such like leaues, as the last described hath, betweene which riseth the flower vpon as short a foote-stalke, consisting of six leaues like the former, of a faire purple colour on the outside of the three outer leaues, with three lines or strakes downe euery leafe, of a deeper purple colour, and on the inside of a paler purple, as the other three leaues are also, with some chiues tipt with yellow pendents, and a forked pointell in the middle: the roote of this is somewhat bigger then the former, and rounder, but couered with as thicke and as browne a skinne: it flowreth about the same time with the former.
22. Crocus vernus luteus siue Mæsiacus. The yellow Crocus.
The yellow Crocus or Saffron flower, riseth vp with three or foure leaues out of the ground, being somewhat neare the breadth of the great purple kindes, with a white line in them, as in most of the rest: the flowers stand in the middle of these leaues, and are very large, of a gold yellow colour, with some chiues, and a forked point in the middle: the seede hereof is of a brighter colour then in any of the other: the roote is great and round, as great or greater then a Wall Nut sometimes, and couered with reddish skinnes or coates, yeelding more store of flowers then most of the former, and beginning to blowe with the first sorts, or presently after, but outlast many of them, and are of a pleasant good sent.
Flore aureo.
Of this kinde we haue some, whose flowers are of a deeper gold yellow colour then others, so that they appeare reddish withall.