Colchicums late Autumn / early Winter 2006

[hadacekf]

Colchicum cretense is found in rocky and stony slopes 1200 – 2300 m., on limestone. Flowering without leaves in late September, October, and November, at high altitudes occasionally with leaves in spring. 
My plant flowered in October

[Maggi Young]

Franz, I must take this chance to say thank you to you for your support of this forum. You have such  experience and expertise  to share and it is so good to see your beautiful photographs, not just for their beauty but for how much they can show us about these plants. Thank you!

[mark smyth]

any input for the ID would be great

[hadacekf]

Thanks, I am happy to help Maggi

[Kees Jan]

Hi Mark,

Colchicum cretense and pusillum are very similar in the wild in Crete. There are some pictures from the wild on page 2 of this thread. Please note that Franz Hadacek's picture seems to have dark anthers on one plant and yellow anthers on the other. I think I have seen plants with yellow anthers at high altitude, this is somewhat unusual since pusillum is supposed to have yellow anthers but is also supposed to be a lowland plant.

The following info is from "Flowers of Crete"by Fielding, Turland and Mathew....
Dark stamens seem to be a constant feature in cretense. The anthers of cretense are supposed to be 2.5-4.5 mmm and 1.5-3mmm in pusillium. Colchicum cretense flowers in autumn but has been seen in flower in May. Cretense is a mountain species.

Perhaps the anther size enables you to identify your plants.

[hadacekf]

I think to classify some Greek Colchicum is sometimes not easy.
Arne Strid writes in his book ‘MOUNTAIN FLORA OF GREECE ‘following over Colchicum cretense: anthers yellowish grey, brownish grey or dark violet-grey.

[fermi de Sousa]

G'day, here's coming a begging question!
Our local group (in the Dandenongs, not Central Victoria) is doing a group discussion on Colchicum next month and I wonder if anyone who has pics of different Colchicums would be willing to let us use them for a PowerPoint presentation.
Please reply to me privately, any cultural notes would also be appreciated but we'll probably scour the Forum for notes.
thanks!
fermi

[mark smyth]

sorry Fermi I've just read this. I suppose it's way too late of an offer?

Supplied as Colchicum cupani var pulverulentum and obviously a Merendera. Outside in a trough Colchicum minutum, a plant I thought I didnt have, is running about nicely