Crocus October 2008

[Gerry Webster]

David - I agree with Armin & I don't think your plant is C. cartwrightianus - the yellow throat is not correct. It's difficult to tell whether the anthers on your plant are yellow or cream. Although all the saffron crocuses  are said to have yellow anthers, I have a C. cartwrightianus in which the anthers are cream. Maybe yours is  a form of C. thomasii which turned up in my garden from seed I received as C. cartwrightianus.

[art600]

Tony

Nice melantherus markings 

The cancellatus show quite a variation   

[Oron Peri]

Zhirair,

Very intersting to see that the anthers 'embrace' the style, in your C. palasii form.
This phenomenon is common with C. cancellatus , probably in order to ensure self pollination, usually it takes place in the second or third day of flowering.

oron

[Hagen Engelmann]

May be, I know some Galanthus, but I´m not a croconut. Hope you can help me. What is it?

[mark smyth]

WOW it's a beauty

[mark smyth]

For David and others C. cartwrightianus http://www.marksgardenplants.com/crocus%20cartwrightianus.html

[Hagen Engelmann]

No Mark, this can`t be the right name. Have a look to the stigmata!!

[mark smyth]

Sorry Hagan the link was for David. I was too quick to to hit post.

I think David's cartwrightianus is the lilac hadriaticus but I'm willing to be shot down

[Oron Peri]

Hagen,
looks to me like a good dark form of hermoneus

oron

[David Nicholson]

David - I agree with Armin & I don't think your plant is C. cartwrightianus - the yellow throat is not correct. It's difficult to tell whether the anthers on your plant are yellow or cream. Although all the saffron crocuses  are said to have yellow anthers, I have a C. cartwrightianus in which the anthers are cream. Maybe yours is  a form of C. thomasii which turned up in my garden from seed I received as C. cartwrightianus.

Gerry and Armin, thanks for adding to my knowledge base I think this is one that Dirk sent me but I will need to check tomorrow and at the same time I will check the colour of the anthers, but I rather think they are white. Armin suggested that it could be a lavigatus form, but if it was it wouldn't have red style branches-would it?? Having looked at Crocus pages Gerry, I favour your thomasii suggestion.

[Gerry Webster]

David - although I think your plant is more likely to be C. thomasii than  a lilac C. hadriaticus you will need a hand lens to try & confirm this. If you have such a device, I can let you have the details from Brian Mathew.

[tonyg]

I would agree with Oron about your crocus Hagen.  Of course Oron has local knowledge of this plant so his view is most relevant.  I have grown C hermoneus but have also seen plants of C cancellatus which were similar.

[Oron Peri]

Tony,

In order to give a 100% certificate, one should see the corm, I agree with you that often it is very difficult to distinguish the two species.

In Hagen's flower, the style is way up and highly divided above the anthers which is more typical to hermoneus.

[David Nicholson]

Sorry Hagan the link was for David. I was too quick to to hit post.

I think David's cartwrightianus is the lilac hadriaticus but I'm willing to be shot down

Mark, but doesn't hadriaticus have a yellow throat, or is this variable

[David Nicholson]

David - although I think your plant is more likely to be C. thomasii than  a lilac C. hadriaticus you will need a hand lens to try & confirm this. If you have such a device, I can let you have the details from Brian Mathew.

Tony, I have a hand lens, the details from Brian mathew would be very handy please if you have the time.