At once distinguished from polyxena by the totally different underside of the hindwing, which bears whitish yellow spots at the base.

The 3 or 4 black parallel cell-bars of polyxena are in rumina enlarged, being separated by thin yellow bands.

(10 a), which occurs singly among ordinary rumina in South Spain and Morocco, the ground-colour is dark yellow, almost orange, the transparent apical spot being therefore very prominent, appearing bright silvery.

is the name of a form in which the red colour is very much extended, the spots of the hindwing merging together to an often broad purple-band.

This form occurs in South France, especially in the neighbourhood of Digne, but only very sparingly, the ordinary form of South France being medesicaste Ill. (10 a), in which the black spots of the forewing are mostly centred with red, while the red spots of the hindwing remain separate.

— The butterflies are on the wing in spring, in the South already in February, in North Spain late in March; they are found on sunny slopes and in vineyards, settling especially often on Asphodelus.