Flora Medica

the edge, glaucous, shorter than the stem. Flowers large, fragrant, palebluish white, bearded; their tube scarcely so long as the ovary. Petalsfull 2 inches long, and 1 inch broad, obtuse, somewhat converging,reflexed at the edge, rather plaited towards the base. The driedrhizoma is the Orris root of the shops, a subacrid, aromatic, ratherbitter substance, employed in the manufacture of tooth-powder andhair powder, and to keep up the discharge from issues.CROCUS.Perianth funnel-shaped, expanding only in the sunshine, witha very long tube, and a regular 6-parted limb. Stamens 3, insertedinto the tube ;anthers sagittate. Style filiform with3 long narrow plaited stigmas, which are usually dilated andjagged at the apex. Capsule 3-celled, many-seeded. Seedsroundish.1219. C. sativus Linn. sp. pi. 50. Woodv. t. 176. SmithEng. Fl. i. 46. C. autumnalis Eng. Bot. t. 343. In theEast of Europe flowering in the autumn. (Saffron Crocus.)Cormus roundish ;the integuments consisting of parallel fibres, whichare distinct at the upper end. Leaves very narrow, linear, long, flaccid,surrounded at the base with long membranous sheaths. Flowers axillary,with a 2-valved membranous spathe, appearing with the leaves,large, purple, striated, with a campanulate limb. Stigmas 3, deeplydivided, linear-wedge-shaped, deep orange-colour, hanging down on oneside of the flower, fragrant, notched at the points. The dried stigmasare the Saffron of the shops. In moderate doses this substance stimulatesthe stomach, and in large quantities excites the vascular system.Moreover it seems to have a specific influence on the cerebro-spinalsystem, as it affects, it is said, the mental faculties, a result which DeCandolle considers analogous to that produced by the petals of certainodorous flowers." In modern practice it is little used, except as acolouring ingredient; on the Continent it is employed as an agreeablestimulant in many culinary preparations and liqueurs. In a medicinalpoint of view it is frequently used to assist the eruptionof exanthematousdiseases ;on the same principle I fancy that Birdfanciers giveit to birds in the moult. It has been used as a carminative, antispasmodicand emmenagogue." Pereira. The singular substance calledisPolychroite obtained from Saffron.1220. C. odorus Biv. stirp. rar. iii. p. 8. t. 2. Gusson.fi. sic.i. 30. ic. t. 11. f. 2.Open pastures in both mountainous andmaritime situations in Sicily, flowering from October to December.Integuments of the cormus fibrous. Leaves appearing with theflowers, linear, channelled, revolute at the edge. Spathe single, acute.Flowers purple, sweet-scented, with a very long tube. Style trifid, nothanging out of the flower, about as long as the stamens, with the segmentsmultifid at the apex. This yields Saffron in Sicily according toGussone.576