New and little known crocus species

[Janis Ruksans]

I started this new topic for not to be drowned in traditional crocus topics. It is not allways easy to determine crocus species especially in biflorus group. In Crocus March-12 I showed picture named as ionopharynx from Bergama, SW Turkey. I bought it as crewei from Czech collector (5 corms) and only this season noted purple in it's throat, characteristic to ionopharynx, but it is not blue (as listed for ionopharynx). Now I found that several of my acquisitions grown as nubigena has similar throat color - they all come from Lesbos Island (Greece) near Turkey's W coast. Those which I grow as typical nubigena hasn't such deep purple zone "resembling small peace of soil dropping in" - such is citation from original ionopharynx description. And it really was my first feeling - I cut flower to check - isn't some dirt in its center. Ionopharynx which I got from Erich only will start blooming today, so then I will check his plant. Pity, I don't know from where exactly it is described (Erich keeps it in secret) and mountain ridge is too large. I don't know soil conditions (basic rock) nor from Lesbos, nor from Bergama. Here I'm adding corm and flower cuts pictures. Corm tunic of Lesbos plants seem to be hard and long toothed as in nubigena, too, but at present too early to check with certainity. Philaments seem to be too short for typical ionopharynx, too.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

First two pictures - plants from Bergama and Lesbos
Last three - ionopharynx from Erich Pasche.
Janis

[I.S.]

  Dear Janis,
  My all nubigena forms have that dark spot in the throath. This must be correct nubigena. The first one from Göktepe is not nubigena and It hasn't that dark spot.
  HKEP 0304 seems correct ionopharynx to me.
  Here are my nubigena from quite different locations.

[I.S.]

  Here are my crewei samples from two differand locations.
  Crewei also has not this dark spot in throath!.

   

[Janis Ruksans]

Such black spots in center you can't see in picture of Botanical Magazine, usually very correct with its pictures of plants.
Nubigena from Samos. First day of blooming, but I didn't saw at present dark spots at bottom, although flower not opened yet completely.
Nubigena from Erich only just showed buds.
Janis

[I.S.]

  Janis Samos seems quite south. For nubigena distribution Erik said 'oro-Mediteranean' If I am not wrong understant. So nubigena need to be mostly north Aegean part of Turkey. We must see the original description of nubigena which I don't have.
  Here are my ionopharynx photos from previus year,

[Maggi Young]

Is this of interest in this matter?

http://www.banglajol.info/index.php/BJB/article/download/9771/7255
Bangladesh J. Bot. 40(2): 155-162, 2011 (December)

COMPARATIVE LEAF ANATOMY OF SOME ENDEMIC CROCUS L. TAXA FROM TURKEY

NEZAHAT KANDEMIR

Department of Biology, Education Faculty, Amasya University, Amasya-Turkey

Abstract:

Relationships among 14 Crocus L. taxa such as, C. ancyrensis (Herbert) Maw, C. baytopiorum Mathew,

C. biflorus Miller ssp. crewei (Hook.) Mathew, C. biflorus ssp. isauricus (Siehe ex Bowles) Mathew, C.

biflorus ssp. nubigena (Herbert) Mathew, C. biflorus ssp. pseudonubigena Mathew, C. cancellatus Herbert

ssp. cancellatus, C. cancellatus ssp. damascenus (Herb ert) Mathew, C. cancellatus ssp. lycius Mathew, C.

cancellatus ssp. mazziaricus (Herbert) Mathew, C. cancellatus ssp. pamphylicus Mathew, C. pestalozzae

Boiss., C. reticulatus Steven ex Adams ssp. hittiticus (T. Baytop & Mathew) Mathew and C. sieheanus Barr

ex Burtt collected from different two locations of Turkey have been investigated using 11 anatomic leaves

characters. These taxa are endemic (except ssp. damascenus) and rare in Turkey. The anatomical variations in

the cross sections of the leaf parts of the taxa were ascertained by statistical methods. It appears that the

length and breadth measurements of palisade and spongy parenchyma cells, trachea diameter and cuticle

thickness are important leaf anatomical characters that show variation in relation to altitudes.

[Maggi Young]

Found this :

Crocus biflorus Miller subsp. nubigena (Herbert) Mathew

Corm tunic membranous or coriaceous with entire or toothed rings at base. Leaves (3-)4-9, synanthous, 0.5-3.5 mm broad. Prophyll absent. Bracteole present, subequal to or much narrower than bract. Throat of perianth pale to deep yellow, glabrous or finely papillose; segments 1.7-3.5 x 0.5-1.3 em, subacute, obtuse or rounded, white,exterior sometimes prominently striped, veined, speckled or stained with purple, dark blue or grey. Filaments 3-7 mm, yellow, glabrous or finely papillose; anthers (0.8-)1-1.4 em, blackish, sometimes yellow with a greyish or blackish connective. Style dividing into 3 yellow to reddish-orange slender or expanded branches. 2n = 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22.
Flowering: 2-6(-7).
Habitat: Open rocky slopes, scrub, alpine turf, sparse coniferous woods,
Altitude: 200-3000 m.

Reference: Flora of Turkey and East Aegean Islands Volume 8

[tonyg]

Thank you Janis.  This is a great idea. Without references I am completely lost when trying to understand these new taxa .... and I am supposed to know a bit about crocuses.

[I.S.]

  Maggi thank you so much for giving line and information for nubigena.
  Here are my ionopharynx photos taken last week from my collection. 

[Janis Ruksans]

  Janis Samos seems quite south. For nubigena distribution Erik said 'oro-Mediteranean' If I am not wrong understant. So nubigena need to be mostly north Aegean part of Turkey. We must see the original description of nubigena which I don't have.
  Here are my ionopharynx photos from previus year,

I not remember from where I read this, but nubigena is recorded from Samos, too. Last spring I went there just for nubigena and found it at several locations. In same time I didn't find it on Chios, although cris-crossed all island and Chios is more to North than Samos. Later I cut off first flower and dissected it - no black tinge in very throat I found. Still some flowers are coming - hope to see them before going to Greece this Friday.
Janis

[ronm]

This is a wonderful thread.... and one I think typifies what this forum is all about. Discussion can take place in an open and honest way with no personal upset. Long may this Forum continue in this vein, and thanks again to our moderator

[Janis Ruksans]

Is this of interest in this matter?

Many thanks Maggi for this link!
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Here scan from Erich's & Co article in The Plantssman - Crocus biflorus in Anatolia Part 1, where he lists nubigena on Samos Island.

May be some of you have links from where I could download Part 1 and Part 2 of Crocus biflorus in Anatolia (The Plantsman). I have original papers but would be very pleased to have them on my laptop at my trips. Ibrahim haven't those two parts, too.
Many thanks for help!

Janis

[I.S.]

 Janis,
 Thank you very much for this scanned biflorus text. My 3 forms of nubigenas are from differed part of Balıkesir province so they can be used as samples from locus claasicus. From upwards of İzmir all nubigenas have this dark spot on throath. From south of İzmir Any of the nubigena or aff. nubigena forms haven't this dark spot! That was the one of my reason to look for some nubigena samples On Asar mountains last weeks.
 But we can see the reason on part that Maggi post. Do you see chromosome numbers (2n = 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22. )
What I understant from these there will be many more new specieses which looks like nubigenas. (for ex. fauseri, nubigena Göktepe, there shoulb be more too..)
 Am I wrong?