Colchicum cilicicum

Colchicum cilicicum, the Tenore autumn crocus, is a species of flowering plant in the Colchicaceae family.[2] A bulbous perennial, it bears deep rose-lilac flowers in late summer, with barely any chequered pattern on the petals (tessellation).[3] It has a very noticeable white stripe down the centre of each petal, which gives it a star-like appearance at the base. The flowers tend to stand up to weather better than other colchicum blooms. The flowers appear before the strap-like leaves, giving this and other colchicum species the common name “naked lady”. Although colchicums are called “autumn crocuses” they belong to a different family than true crocuses. There are in fact autumn-flowering species of crocus such as Crocus sativus, which is the source of the spice saffron. Colchicum cilicicum, by contrast, is toxic if eaten.

Colchicum cilicicum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Colchicaceae
Genus: Colchicum
Species:
C. cilicicum
Binomial name
Colchicum cilicicum
Synonyms[1]
  • Colchicum × byzantinum var. cilicicum Boiss.
  • Colchicum bivonae Ten.
  • Colchicum tenorei Parl.
  • Colchicum tenorii orth. var.
  • Colchicum bisignanii Ten. ex Janka
  • Colchicum autumnale var. tenorei (Parl.) Fiori
  • Colchicum autumnale var. todaroi (Parl.) Fiori
  • Colchicum todaroi Parl.

This species is native to Turkey and Syria.[1][4]

It is found in cultivation, and under its synonym C. tenorei has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.[5] (confirmed 2017).[6] The cultivar 'Purpureum' is also a recipient of the award.[7]

References
  1. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Colchicum cilicicum
  2. "Colchicum cilicicum (Boiss.) Dammer". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  3. Carl Lebrecht Udo Dammer. 1898. Gardeners' Chronicle. London ser. 3, xxiii. 34, Colchicum cilicicum
  4. Autumn Bulbs by Roy Leeds (B.T. Batsford Ltd) 2006 ISBN 0-7134-8962-6
  5. "RHS Plantfinder - Colchicum tenorei". Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  6. "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 22. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  7. "Colchicum cilicicum 'Purpureum'". RHS. Retrieved 12 April 2020.


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