Crocus ochroleucus

Crocus ochroleucus is a cream-colored crocus native to Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine and Turkey.

Crocus ochroleucus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
Order:
Asparagales
Family:
Iridaceae
Genus:
Crocus
Section:
Crocus
Series:
Kotschyani
Species:
C. ochroleucus
Binomial name
Crocus ochroleucus
Boiss. & Gaill.

Description

Perennial. Tubercle small, proliferous, surrounded with membranous brown tunics. Leaves 4-6, 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. Stigmas orange.

Flowering

October–December.

Habitat

Rocky places, light soils.

Distribution

Lower and middle mountains, South, Hermon.

Geographic area

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 tubercles 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[1]

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References
  1. Mustapha Nehmeh, Wild Flowers Of Lebanon, National Council For Scientific Research,1978,pages 151, 152.
  • Georges Tohme& Henriette Tohme, IIIustrated Flora of Lebanon, National Council For Scientific Research, Second Edition 2014.
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