Genus Crocus L.
Fam: Iridaceae Lindl.
Genus: Crocus L.
English Name: Crocuses or CrociDescription: Perennial grass-similar plants with tuber-bulb, encased with a mesh of fibrous shell, crumbling at the base of the ring segments or parallel fibers and the top of the triangular spiny shares. Trunk strongly shortened, hidden in leafy places. Leaves 2 - 10, linear, with a pronounced keel and rolled over. Blossoms 1 - 6, aktinomorphic, wrapped at the base with veil - Spata. Perianth simple corolla-similar, composed of six leaflets, fused into a long tube. Stamens 3, anthers linear, attached to handles with arrowhead base. Pistil with inferior ovary, 1 baluster and 3 entire or cut in pieces stigmas. Fruit oblong break out into blossom box. Seeds spherical or oblong, with distinct appendage and stitching.
Economic importance. All species of this genus are beautifully blooming and can be grown as ornamentals. Some of them, are used for the preparation of saffron.
Table for determining the species
1 The shell of vthe tuber-bulb comprised of solid leather scales degraded in the lower part of the ring segments ...................................................... 2
1* The shell of the tuber-bulb mesh fibrous or webbed composed of flakes degraded essentially parallel fibers .......................................................... 4
2 Plants flowering in autumn. Leaves with a narrow keel (1/5 of the lamina), develop after flowering. Stamens with white anthers and ciliates handles. The bar slashed to 10 - 12 small shares .................................. ..................................................................................................... 5. - S. pulchellus Herb.
2* Plants flowering during the spring. Leaves with a wide keel (1/2 - 1/3 of the lamina), developed together with the blossoms. Stamens with yellow and orange anthers and verrucose stems. Bars lobed ……….......................................................................................................................................... 3
3 Blossoms yellow, rarely white. Leaves short with cilia-like bristles over the keel, which occupies 1/3 of the width of the lamina. Seeds oblong, colored raspberry - body darker than the seam and appendices ...................................................................................................... 7. - C. chrysanthus Herb.
3* Blossoms purple or whitish, External shares with 3 - 5 darker stripes. Leaves naked or with short rare teeth on keel, occupying 1/2 of the width of the lamina. The seeds tan body with dark spots ................................................................................................................................. 1. - C. bifloms Mill.
4 Blossoms yellow. The shell of tuber-bulb composed of membranous scales decomposed essentially parallel fibers ............................................... 5
4* Blossoms purple, rarely white. The shell of tuber-bulb reticulated fiber ................................................................................................................. 6
5 The shells of the tuber-bulb covers also the entire aboveground part. Leaves or naked short rare setae on the keel and all. Slashed the bar to the middle of the anthers of 3 parts. With winged seeds seam, hairy, wine red - body darker than appendices and seam .......... 8. - C. aureus Sibth. et Sm.
5* The shells of the tuber-bulb not enveloping overground part. Leaves covered with long hairs. The bar slashed to the base of the anthers of 6 small units. Seeds oblong-winged without seam, dark red body and retainer stitching and red ...................................................................... 9 - C. olivieri J. Gay.
6 Plants flowering in autumn. Leaves with thick bristly cilia pa edges and keel. The bar slashed the base of anthers 3. Seed cumulus, dark brown ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6. - C. pallasii MV
6* Plants flowering in the spring. Leaves naked. The bar low tripartite or slashed to mid anthers ............................................................................... 7
7 The shell of the tuber-bulb rough fibrous mesh. Flowers white or violet, External shares with darker stripes. The bar slashed to the middle of anthers. The seeds yellow brown ……………… ....................................................................................................... 4. - C. variegatus Hopre et Hornsch.
7* The shell of the tuber-bulb thinly net fiber. The blossoms purple, rarely white, shares equally dyed. The bar low tripartite. Seeds brownish. Mountain plant ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
8 The blossoms larger, purple, each with 2 tunicates vaginas. Inside the base perianth leaflets have soft cloth. Fruit box about 3 cm long .......... .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 2. - C. veluchensis Herb.
8* The blossoms smaller, light dove blue, each with a membranous sheath. Inside the base perianth leaflets .without cloth. Fruit box 1.5 - 2 cm long .................................................................................................................................................................................. ..3. - C. tommasinianus Herb.
¹ developed by V. VelchevFrom . „Флора на НР България”, том II, БАН, София, (1964)
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Crocus (English plural: crocuses or croci) is a genus of flowering plants in the iris family comprising 90 species of perennials growing from corms. Many are cultivated for their flowers appearing in autumn, winter, or spring. Crocuses are native to woodland, scrub, and meadows from sea level to alpine tundra in central and southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, on the islands of the Aegean, and across Central Asia to Xinjiang Province in western China.[1][2][3]
Description
The cup-shaped, solitary, salverform flower tapers off into a narrow tube. Their colors vary enormously, although lilac, mauve, yellow, and white are predominant. The grass-like, ensiform leaf[8] shows generally a white central stripe along the leaf axis. The leaf margin is entire. Crocuses typically have three stamens. The spice saffron is obtained from the stigmas of Crocus sativus, an autumn-blooming species.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia* * *
Crocus, genus of about 75 low-growing cormose species of plants of the iris family (Iridaceae). Crocuses are native to the Alps, southern Europe, and the Mediterranean area and are widely grown for their cuplike blooms in early spring or fall. Spring-flowering plants have a long floral tube that allows the ovary to remain belowground, sheltered from climatic changes. The flowers close at night and in dull weather. Saffron, used for dye, seasoning, and medicine, is the dried feathery orange tip of the pistils of the lilac or white, autumn-flowering saffron crocus (Crocus sativus) of western Asia. The alpine species, C. vernus, is the chief ancestor of the common garden crocus. Dutch yellow crocus (C. flavus), from stony slopes in southeastern Europe, is another popular spring species, as is C. biflorus, tinged purple and with yellow throat, sometimes striped, from the Mediterranean.
Written By: The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica
Last Updated: 5-8-2015 See Article History* * *
References: „Флора на НР България”, том II, БАН, София, (1964), Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica
Distribution in Bulgaria: (Conspectus of the Bulgarian Vascular Flora) = conspectus&gs_l= Zlc.
Distribution:SPECIES:
Crocus aureus Sibth. et Sm. - Yellow crocus or Dutch yellow crocus
Crocus biflorus Mill. - Silvery crocus
Crocus chrysanthus Herb. - Snow crocus, Golden crocus
Crocus olivieri J. Gay - x x x
Crocus veluchensis Herb. - x x x
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