Colchicum
| Colchicum | |
|---|---|
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| Colchicum speciosum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| Order: | Liliales |
| Family: | Colchicaceae |
| Genus: |
Colchicum L. |
| Synonyms | |
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Colchicum (/ˈkɒltʃᵻkəm/ or /ˈkɒlkᵻkəm/) is a genus of perennial flowering plants containing around 160 species which grow from bulb-like corms. It is a member of the botanical family Colchicaceae, and is native to West Asia, Europe, parts of the Mediterranean coast, down the East African coast to South Africa and the Western Cape. In this genus the ovary of the flower is underground. As a consequence, the styles are extremely long in proportion, often more than 10 cm (4 in).
The common names "autumn crocus", "meadow saffron" and "naked lady" may be applied to the whole genus or to many of its species; they refer to the "naked" crocus-like flowers which appear in late summer or autumn, long before the strap-like foliage which appears in spring.
The scientific name comes from the Colchis, a region in Georgia (Caucasus) known by the Ancient Greeks by that name, and mentioned in the mythology as the destination of the Argonauts and the place of Medea and the golden fleece.
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Wikipedia