This Saffron flower springeth vp in October, and seldome before, with three or foure short greene leaues at the first, but growing longer afterwards, and in the midst of them, presently after they haue appeared, one flower for the most part, and seldome two, consisting of six leaues, the three outermost whereof are somewhat larger then the other three within, and are of a pale bleake blew colour, almost white, which many call a siluer colour, the three innermost being of a purer white, with some yellow chiues in the middle, and a longer pointell ragged or fethered at the toppe: this very seldome beareth seede, but when the yeare falleth out to bee very milde; it is small, round, and of a darke colour: the roote is pretty bigge, and rounder then any other Crocus, without any flat bottome, and couered with a darke russet skinne.
3. Crocus Pyrenæus purpureus. The purple mountaine Crocus.
This purple Saffron flower of the Autumne, riseth vp but with one flower vsually, yet sometimes with two one after another, without any leaues at all, in September, or sometimes in August, standing vpon a longer foote-stalke then any kinde of Saffron flower, either of the Spring or Autumne, and is as large as the flower of the greatest purple Saffron flower of the Spring, of a very deepe Violet purple colour, which decayeth after it hath stood blowne three or foure dayes, and becommeth more pale, hauing in the middle some yellow chiues, and a long fether topt pointell, branched, and rising sometimes aboue the edges of the flowers: about a moneth after the flowers are past, and sometimes not vntill the first of the Spring, there riseth vp three or foure long and broad greene leaues, with a white line in euery one of them, like vnto the first purple Vernall kindes, which abide vntill the end of May or Iune: the roote is small and white on the outside, so like vnto the roote of the lesser Vernall purple or white Crocus, that it cannot be distinguished, vntill about the end of August, when it doth begin to shoot, and then by the early shooting vp a long white sprout for flower, it may be knowne. I neuer could obserue it to giue any seede, the Winter (as I thinke) comming on it so quickly after the flowring, being the cause to hinder it.
4. Crocus montanus Autumnalis. The Autumne mountaine Crocus.
The mountaine Saffron flower springeth vp later then any of the former, and doth not appeare vntill the middle or end of October, when all the flowers of the former are past, appearing first with three or foure short greene leaues, like vnto the Byzantine Crocus, and afterwards the flowers betweene them, which are of a pale or bleake blew tending to a purple, the foote-stalkes of them being so short, that they scarce appeare aboue ground at the first, but after two or three dayes they grow a little higher: the roote is very great and flat bottomed, couered with a grayish duskie coate or skinne, and encreaseth very little or seldome.
The Place.
The seuerall places of these Saffron flowers, are in part set downe in their titles; the others haue beene found out, some in one Countrey, and some in another, as the small purple and white, and stript white in Spaine: the yellow in Mesia about Belgrade, the great purple in Italy; and now by such friends helpes as haue sent them, they prosper as well in our Gardens, as in their naturall places. Yet I must giue you this to vnderstand, that some of these formerly expressed, haue been raised vp vnto vs by the sowing of their seede.
The Time.
Their seuerall times are likewise expressed in their descriptions; for some shew forth their pleasant flowers in the Spring, wherein for the three first moneths, our Gardens are furnished with the varietie of one sort or another: the rest in Autumne, that so they might procure the more delight, in yeelding their beauty both early and late, when scarce any other flowers are found to adorne them.