Trying to identify a crocus

[chrisbur]

The attached picture is a crocus purchased as Crocus tommasinianus 'Albus' and it looks like that to me except it has purple markings on every other one of the white petals. This has happened to all of the corms that I grew it was not just one affected.  I can find no mention of this happening to Crocus tommasinianus  'Albus' and wonder if anyone here has come across it or has any ideas what has happened.

[Maggi Young]

Chris, I think this question may get a bigger response in the Crocus  section, so I'll move it there   

[Hillview croconut]

Hi Chris,

All the forms of Crocus tommasianus albus that I have grown have some lilac or pale purple flecking on them.  If you look at the link to my catalogue you will see I grow exactly the same clone that you have.
It may have originally come from Janis.
http://hillviewrareplants.com.au/plant/crocus-tommasinianus-albus

I'd be interested to know of any pure white forms.

Cheers,  Marcus

[Maggi Young]

Sandy Leven mentions a pure white form in this article from the SRGC website:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/feature/early%20crocuses/crocus.html

[Hillview croconut]

Hi Maggi,

Thanks! I have 3 clones and none are pure. I don't know what other Australians have but I doubt if there are any different ones here although one could have arisen in hort, but I doubt it.

Anyway the upshot is I don't think there is anything wrong with Chris' plants, just a splash of aberrant colour!

Cheers, Marcus


PS Very pretty crocus in Sandy's article.

[chrisbur]

Many thanks for all the replies.  There was me thinking that I had something unusual; when really it is the ones without the streaks that are unusual.
Again thanks for replies.

Chris

[Janis Ruksans]

In my early years I had pure white tommasinianus, but it was destroyed for virus infection. Later I got white with bluish mark and it was distributed  as 'Alba', but I not remember from where I got it. Shortening collection it was given away. Afterwards for several years I grew only wild form and Ruby Giant, now again in my collection are few selected forms from John Grimshaw.
This season tommies grew not so well - formed smaller corms than usually.
Janis