CROCUS L.CROCUS

CROCUS L. - CROCUS

Scientific Description:

Corm usually symmetrical, enclosed by several fibrous, membranous or coriaceous tunics. Cataphylls to 5, sheathing the aerial shoot. Leaves appearing with flowers (synanthous) or after them (hysteranthous), all basal, flat or canaliculate on upper surface, with whitish median stripe, lower surface with 2 deep grooves on either side of a flattish keel. Scape absent. Flowers autumnal or vernal, 1-several, each on a short subterranean pedicel which is sometimes subtended by a membranous sheathing prophyll (‘basal spathe’ of various authors). Bract membranous; bracteole similar or reduced or absent. Perianth actinomorphic; tube long and narrow; segments 6, in 2 whorls, equal or subequal, inner whorl rarely distinctly smaller. Style 3-branched to multifid. Ovary subterranean. Capsule cylindrical to ellipsoid, maturing just above ground level by elongation of pedicel. Seeds numerous, globose to ellipsoid, brownish or reddish.

Reference:
Mathew B (1984). Crocus L., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 8: 413.

Public Description:

Crocus, known as the same as scientific name “crocus”, has a natural distribution in central and southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, on the islands of the Aegean, and across Central Asia to western China. There are approximately 104 species in the world and 42 species (76 taxa) in Türkiye. They are herbaceous perennial plants growing from corms, and have lilac, mauve, yellow and white flamboyant flowers. The grass-like, ensiform leaf shows generally a white central stripe along the leaf axis. The "saffron", accepted as the world's most expensive spring, is obtained from the feathery stigmas of a crocus species “yield saffron (Crocus sativus L.)”, and used for food coloring, flavoring or medical ingredient.

References:

Anonymous 1 (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocus /, Accessed date: 14.02.2016.

Anonymous 2 (2016). http://www.theplantlist.org/1.1/browse/A/Iridaceae/Crocus/ /, Accessed date: 14.02.2016.

Yüzbaşıoğlu S İ (2012). Crocus L. In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 530–534.