Colchicums late 2008

[olegKon]

 I received this tiny colchicum (not more than 4 cm high)  as Colchicum atropurpureum. Can anyone confirm the name? (Sorry, the wheather is awful)

[Lesley Cox]

What a little pet that one is Oleg!

Michael, you've given us all something special to look forward to. Your camera will be on overtime wages.

[tonyg]

I received this tiny colchicum (not more than 4 cm high)  as Colchicum atropurpureum. Can anyone confirm the name?

I saw something very similar with that name at Edinburgh botanics a couple of years ago.

[dominique]

Hi  Oleg
Colchicum autumnale var. atropurpureum look like that you show us. It is a very late flowering form of autumnale, very short and one of the darkest Colchicum. It seems true
Dom

[olegKon]

Thanks everybody for the confirmation. It's really late flowering ( and rather shy) but not the latest here. I expect to see C. autumnale Plenum in a day or 2, which will be the last. Thanks again.
Oleg

[Oron Peri]

Starts to bloom on Mt. Hermon C. antilibanoticum [syn. C. tauri],
One of the small size Colchicums but still very showy, this 'spider' like form  is quite common.

I have tried to grow it here with me but  seems it needs a long period of cold weather.

[Paul T]

Love that spidery form, and the dark anthers set it off even more.  Wow! 

[Anthony Darby]

Oron, you are taking us into new and exciting realms with this topic. Keep them coming, and please look out for the seeds.

[Oron Peri]

Thanks Anthony,
Its a pleasure to share these things with other people with same intrests.

[art600]

Oron

Wonderful Colchicum - I Googled to find out how tall it is and all they say is TINY.  All pictures show a flower that is quite 'pink' whereas your examples look almost white.  Is this a typical plant on Mount Hermon?

[Oron Peri]

Arthur,

I would say 3-5 cm with its neck, it grows mainly on Mt Hermon and other mountains of S. Lebanon
I assume it grows also in parts of  W. Syria.
As in the case of some other colchicum species  in the area there is a large variation in color, from pure white to some really dark pinks.

[Oron Peri]

There is one which is really tiny 2-4cm, C. tunicatum that is now almost ending its bloom.
It is quite common in the Negev & Judea deserts as well as in Jordan.

[Ian Y]

Wonderful pictures Oron of many bulbs I have not seen.

Am I miss reading the picture or has C. antilibanoticum  got green anthers?

[Oron Peri]

Am I miss reading the picture or has C. antilibanoticum  got green anthers?

Yes the anthers are more Grayish green in color, this phenomenon exists in two closely related species in this region.
C. antilibanoticum and the rare C. tuviae from the Negev desert [ another tiny species that blooms from late November to January]

[Maggi Young]

and the rare C. tuviae from the Negev desert [ another tiny species that blooms from late November to January]

Oh! My word, wait till Ian sees this little gem...... fantastic colchicums, Oron!