| Crocus ochroleucus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Iridaceae |
| Genus: | Crocus |
| Section: | Crocus sect. Crocus |
| Species: | C. ochroleucus |
| Binomial name | |
| Crocus ochroleucus | |
Crocus ochroleucus is species of flowering plant in the Iridaceae family. [2] It is a cream-colored crocus native to Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. [3]
Crocus ochroleucus is a herbaceous perennial geophyte growing from a corm. The corm is small, surrounded with membranous brown tunics. Each corm produces 4-6 leaves, appearing together with flowers, strongly canaliculate, 1.5–2 mm wide. Basal spathe often surrounding numerous scapes. Floral spathe diphyllous, partly enclosing a long tube. Perianth 2–3 cm ; tepals elliptical-ovate, cream-white, yellow and bearded at base. Anthers whitish, longer than filament, with white pollen. [4] Stigmas orange. The style has three branches which are dilated at the apex, with entire or branching ends. [4]
The cream-white color of this crocus is at origin of specific name ochroleucus, which is derived from the Greek ôchros, yellow, and leukos, white. The Latin name Crocus, and the Greek name krokos which gave it birth, were used by ancients to designate the peculiar species with violet flowers: Crocus sativus, whose large stigmas, highly fragrant and of a beautiful orange yellow tint, produce the famous saffron used in coloration of certain food and liquors. The cream-colored Crocus, known in Lebanon as hirsanneen, grows abundantly after autumn first rainfalls. Its corms are sometimes eaten.
Crocus has 3 stamens. This characteristic, among others, allows to differentiate it from meadow saffron which belongs to the Lily Family and has 6 stamens [5]
October–December.
Rocky places, light soils. On Jebel Jermak in Upper Galilee it grows together with Crocus hyemalis and Crocus pallasii . [4]
Lower and middle mountains, South, Hermon.
Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent in food. Although some doubts remain on its origin, it is believed that saffron originated in Iran. However, Greece and Mesopotamia have also been suggested as the possible region of origin of this plant. Saffron crocus slowly propagated throughout much of Eurasia and was later brought to parts of North Africa, North America, and Oceania.
Crocus is a genus of seasonal flowering plants in the family Iridaceae comprising about 100 species of perennials growing from corms. They are low growing plants, whose flower stems remain underground, that bear relatively large white, yellow, orange or purple flowers and then become dormant after flowering. Many are cultivated for their flowers, appearing in autumn, winter, or spring. The flowers close at night and in overcast weather conditions. The crocus has been known throughout recorded history, mainly as the source of saffron. Saffron is obtained from the dried stigma of Crocus sativus, an autumn-blooming species. It is valued as a spice and dyestuff, and is one of the most expensive spices in the world. Iran is the center of saffron production. Crocuses are native to woodland, scrub, and meadows from sea level to alpine tundra from the Mediterranean, through North Africa, central and southern Europe, the islands of the Aegean, the Middle East and across Central Asia to Xinjiang in western China. Crocuses may be propagated from seed or from daughter cormels formed on the corm, that eventually produce mature plants. They arrived in Europe from Turkey in the 16th century and became valued as an ornamental flowering plant.
Colchicum autumnale, commonly known as autumn crocus, meadow saffron, naked boys or naked ladies, is a toxic autumn-blooming flowering plant that resembles the true crocuses, but is a member of the plant family Colchicaceae, unlike the true crocuses, which belong to the family Iridaceae. It is called "naked boys/ladies" because the flowers emerge from the ground long before the leaves appear. Despite the vernacular name of "meadow saffron", this plant is not the source of saffron, which is obtained from the saffron crocus, Crocus sativus – and that plant, too, is sometimes called "autumn crocus".
Crocosmia (;), also known as montbretia, is a small genus of flowering plants in the iris family, Iridaceae. It is native to the grasslands of southern and eastern Africa, ranging from South Africa to Sudan. One species is endemic to Madagascar.
Crocus sativus, commonly known as saffron crocus or autumn crocus, is a species of flowering plant in the iris family Iridaceae. A cormous autumn-flowering cultivated perennial, unknown in the wild, it is best known for the culinary use of its floral stigmas as the spice saffron. Human cultivation of saffron crocus and the trade and use of saffron have endured for more than 3,500 years and span different cultures, continents, and civilizations.
Crocus cartwrightianus is a species of flowering plant in the family Iridaceae, native to mainland Greece and Crete. It is a cormous perennial growing to 5 cm (2 in). The flowers, in shades of lilac or white with purple veins and prominent red stigmas, appear with the leaves in autumn and winter.
Crocus sieberi, Sieber's crocus, also referred to as the Cretan crocus or snow crocus, is a plant of the genus Crocus in the family Iridaceae. A small, early blooming crocus, it easily naturalises, and is marked by a brilliant orange which is mostly confined to the stamens and style, fading through the bottom third of the tepal. It grows wild generally in the Balkans and Greece, especially in the island Crete. There are four subtypes: sieberi (Crete), atticus, nivalis and sublimis. Its cultivars are used as ornamental plants. Height: 3–4 inches (7.6–10.2 cm).
Crocus corsicus is a species of flowering plant in the genus Crocus of the family Iridaceae, endemic to the Mediterranean islands of Corsica and Sardinia.
Pyrus syriaca is a deciduous tree in the Rosaceae family. It is referred to by the common name Syrian pear. It is the only pear species which grows in the wild in Lebanon, Turkey, Syria and Israel.
Crocus graveolens is a species of flowering plant in the family Iridaceae. It is native to Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Turkey.
Crocus hyemalis is a species of flowering plant in the family Iridaceae. It is referred to by the common name winter saffron and is native to Lebanon, the Palestine region and Syria.
Aristolochia delavayi, known as the party-colored birthwort, is a species of flowering plant in the family Aristolochiaceae.
Matthiola crassifolia, the thick-leaved stock, is a species of plant in the family Brassicaceae.
Colchicum stevenii, or Steven's meadow saffron, is a species of flowering plant in the family Colchicaceae. Hebrew: סתוונית היורה, Arabic: سَراجُ الغولة, سُورَنْجان
Romulea columnae, the sand crocus, is a herbaceous perennial in the family Iridaceae. It is a small plant, with thin narrow leaves, and small scape which has small pink, pale purple or violet pointed flowers with darker veining and a gold or yellow throat. It is native to a wide area ranging from western Europe to the Mediterranean.
Crocus fleischeri is a species of flowering plant in the genus Crocus of the family Iridaceae. It is a cormous perennial with a native range from the eastern Aegean Islands to western and south western Turkey.
Crocus alatavicus is a species of flowering plant in the genus Crocus of the family Iridaceae. It is a cormous perennial native to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Xinjiang.
Crocus pestalozzae is a species of flowering plant in the genus Crocus of the family Iridaceae. It is a cormous perennial native to Turkey.
Crocus haussknechtii is species of flowering plant growing from a corm native to southern Jordan, northern Iraq to western Iran.
Crocus dispathaceus is species of flowering plant growing from a corm, with a native range from southern Turkey to northern Syria.
