COLCHICUM AUTUMNALE

Family and Genus:- See- COLCHICACEAE

Common Names:- Meadow Saffron; Autumn Crocus; Naked Ladies.

Homotypic synonyms:- Bulbocodium antumnale; Colchicum commune.

Meaning:- Colchicum (L) From Colchis, an ancient region on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, traditionally associated with the plant.
                  Autumnale (L) “Autumnal”, referring to its autumn flowering.

General description:- A cormous perennial geophyte in which the pale pink to lilac flowers appear in autumn without leaves; the leaves and fruit develop the following spring. Native in Great Britain.

Stems:-
1) Aerial leafy stem absent; flowering shoots arise directly from the underground
    corm.
2) Corm, subterranean, ovoid, enclosed by dark brown membranous tunics.

Leaves:-
1) Basal, 4-6, appearing in spring, erect, broadly lanceolate to oblanceolate, entire,
    glabrous and bright green, up to about 30 cm long.

Flowers:-
1) Inflorescence, flowers solitary or several arising together directly from the corm.
2) Flowers, bisexual, actinomorphic, goblet-shaped, pale pink to lilac-purple and up
    to about 7 cm across.
3) Perianth, 6 tepals united below into a very long, slender tube extending to the
    underground ovary; free lobes oblong to oblanceolate.
4) Stamens, 6, inserted on the perianth tube; anthers yellow to orange.
5) Styles, 3, long and free, each ending in a stigma.
6) Ovary, superior, 3-locular and remaining below ground during flowering.

Fruit:-
1) Capsule, ovoid to ellipsoid, 3-locular, developing above ground among the leaves
    in spring and opening at maturity.
2) Seeds, numerous, subglobose to ovoid and brown.

Distinguishing features:-
The crocus-like flowers appear leafless in autumn, while the broad leaves and fruit emerge the following spring. Unlike true crocuses, the flower has 6 stamens and 3 styles.

Flowering time:- August to October.

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Toxicity:- Highly poisonous if ingested. All parts contain toxic colchicine and related alkaloids; the corms and seeds are particularly hazardous.

Habitat:- Damp, fertile meadows and pastures, woodland clearings and rides, hedgebanks and waterside grassland.

Distribution:- Native in Great Britain and Ireland. In Britain it is scattered principally through southern and central districts. Its wider native range is European.

Conservation status:- Near Threatened (NT) in Great Britain.

Photos by:- Courtesy Saxifraga - Free nature images