Colchicum umbrosumSteven Şaşortkovan (in Turkish)

Colchicum umbrosumSteven - Şaşortkovan (in Turkish)

Scientific Description:

Corm 1.5−3 × 1.2−2.5 cm, ovoid to subglobose; outer tunics dark blackish-brown, inner dark reddish-brown, subcoriaceous to coriaceous, usually with a persistent neck to 7 cm. Leaves 3−4(−5), hysteranthous, suberect, ligulate to very narrowly lanceolate, (8−)12−15(−17) × (1−)1.3−2(−2.7) cm, obtuse to subacute, glabrous. Flowers l−3(−6), funnel-shaped at first, stellate when fully open. Perianth segments white to purplish-pink, narrowly oblanceolate to linear-elliptic, 1.5−2.5(−3) cm × 2−6 mm, obtuse (very occasionally subacute or emarginate), glabrous. Filaments 5−8 mm, glabrous; anthers yellow, 3−4 × 1 mm; pollen yellow. Styles straight, shortly curved and slightly swollen at apex, stigmas decurrent for 0.5−0.75 mm. Capsule oblong-ellipsoid, 2−3 × 0.8−1.5 cm, reddish-brown, glabrous, acuminate.

Flowering time: August−October.

Habitat: Meadows, moist open woodland, clearings in Fagus L. and Abies L. forest, often on clay, 15−1400 m.

Public Description:

Colchicum umbrosum, known as “şaşortkovan” (in Turkish), is distributed in Crimea, the Caucasus and Türkiye. It is a perennial herb with white to purplish-pink flowers and lanceolate leaves. It blooms between August and October and is found in meadows, moist open woodland, clearings in beech and fir forest and often on clay. The leaves, corm and seeds are poisonous.

References:

Anonymous (2016). http://www.tubives.com/index.php?sayfa=1&tax_id=9260, Accessed date: 21.02.2016.

Düşen O (2012). Colchicum 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. 371–375.