Colchicum autumn 2009

[Oron Peri]

Thanks Oron, it would be great if you could help. I've had the pictures on the Forum before but without response. These were taken two years ago I think.

Flowers first in the autumn, then springtime leaves.

Lesley,

This is a real difficult one!!!

the flowers are quite similar to a few species but the leaves are particular, i must say i have never seen something similar.
As you described it blooms in Autumn and leaves appear in spring, that means it is a high altitude plant that is covered by snow all winter in its native habitat.
That was a first clue for me to look for these species than start to look for descriptions of these particular, low growing, a bit undulate, 3 leaves with a marked vain in the middle.

The only description i have found similar is C. heldreichii, a relatively new species, which grows at 1600-2338m, endemic to west and center Turkey.

In order to confirm it there is a need to take a few measures and see the bulb.

Hope it is some kind of a help, any way thanks to you i have read finally a few articles which were waiting for a long time about new species from the region.
 

[johnw]

C. aggripinum still giving a show here at a friend's. She likes this one due to the smallish leaf size.

johnw

[Lesley Cox]

All that is no help at all Oron. I'll lift some and take a picture of the bulbs in summer. Originally I bought it in NZ as Colchicum arenarium but was then told it was troodii.

[Sinchets]

Lesley- i don't know if it is any help to you, but I have been trying to track down information on a Bulgarian 'endemic' species - Colchicum borisii. I have seen it listed as a synonym for C.arenarium online- though it doesn't look much like C.arenarium in flower- judging from the pics I have seen online of this species.
C.umbrosum was also listed as C.arenarium umbrosum on a list of Turkish species, but looks quite different from 'standard' C.arenarium as far as I can see... So what I am thinking is that maybe C.arenarium is just quite 'variable' with forms from 'different' areas looking quite 'different'.  Sound familiar? We still don't know if the plants we saw in the north of Greece and south of Bulgaria were just 'pointy' petalled C.autumnale or gracile C.bivonae... or... or... and I guess we will have to go back and look at the leaves in spring. Any idea of where yours came from?

[Oron Peri]

All that is no help at all Oron. I'll lift some and take a picture of the bulbs in summer. Originally I bought it in NZ as Colchicum arenarium but was then told it was troodii.

Lesly and Simon,

I don't think it is C. arenarium which is a species with tiny flowers and has 5 leaves, and definitely not C. troodii.

There are 'only' about 100 species of Colchicum... we will continue the research,
if we will not find a name for it we can name it C. leslyi, which sounds very nice, with your approval offcourse

[Sinchets]

Lol- I suppose given that the name Colchicum confusum has already been used to describe a Greek species, C.leslyi will be the next best name. 

[Lesley Cox]

Oh yes, I'd be very happy with that. I had it from a NZ nursery, no longer in existence, though I know its owner so may be able to find something more about it. Thanks, gentlemen, for your efforts.

[Hans A.]

Some C. stevenii are out - one of my favourites.

[Ragged Robin]

That is very special, Hans, the arrangement of anthers look wonderful in the second photo 

[Hagen Engelmann]

Hans, die Staubgefäße geben der Blüte ein besonderen Kick. More than only beautiful

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Some C. stevenii are out - one of my favourites.

I can see why Hans !! Beautiful !! 

[BULBISSIME]

Splendid Hans, they looks like in the wild, and wonderfull pictures,

Congratulations.

where is this species from ?

[Maggi Young]

Some C. stevenii are out - one of my favourites.

They look quite different to me, Hans.... the first in the flower shape and anther colour and it seems to have more than 3 leaves per bulb.....

[Hans A.]

Thanks to all!
Fred, as I know this species grows from South Parts of Turkey in the north to Israel.

They look quite different to me, Hans.... the first in the flower shape and anther colour and it seems to have more than 3 leaves per bulb.....

C.stevenii seems to be a very variable species and in  google you will also find plants with very narrow petals on reliable hps. As I received both varieties from very skilled and knowledge grower I never had any doubt about the names .

I do not have a good key for colchicum and checking B. Mathews "Smaller Bulbs" he mentioned yellow Anthers, while in the pictures of Peter Sheasbys "Bulbous plants - Turkey and Iran" the showed plants have purple Anthers (remembers me a bit the discussion we had about C. macrophyllum) - and following this book it should have 2-5 flowers and 4-8 narrow leaves.
Until now I could not check the number of the leaves, nor other sources.

Maggi (or perhaps Oron), do you have some more information?

[WimB]

One Colchicum montanum flowering here now.