Gold crocus

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Gold crocus
Crocus flavus subsp. flavus

Crocus flavus subsp. flavus

Systematics
Class : Bedecktsamer (Magnoliopsida)
Monocots
Order : Asparagales (Asparagales)
Family : Iris family (Iridaceae)
Genre : Crocuses ( crocus )
Type : Gold crocus
Scientific name
Crocus flavus
Weston

The gold crocus ( Crocus flavus ) is a flowering plant from the genus of crocus ( Crocus ).

features

The gold crocus is a perennial tuber geophyte that reaches heights of 5 to 12 centimeters. The tuberous shell is membranous-parallel-fibred. It has no closed rings at the bottom. The lower leaves are retained and form a long, brown neck around the tuber. The 4 to 8 leaves are 2 to 4 millimeters wide and sometimes covered with a fluff of hair. The upper bract is linear. It is enveloped by the somewhat wider lower bract. The 1 to 4 (rarely up to 7) flowers are golden yellow or rarely light lemon yellow and fragrant. The perigone measure 20 to 35 (rarely from 15) × 6 to 12 (rarely from 4) millimeters. The outside is striped brown every now and then. The anthers are arrow-shaped.

The flowering period extends from March to April.

The number of chromosomes is 2n = 8.

Occurrence

The gold crocus occurs in Serbia, northern Greece, Bulgaria, southern Romania and western Turkey. The species grows in open tree and shrub corridors as well as on dry grassland at altitudes of 0 to 1200 meters.

There are two subspecies:

  • Crocus flavus subsp. atticus Kit Tan, Zograf. & Mermygkas : It occurs in Greece.
  • Crocus flavus subsp. flavus : It occurs from the Balkan Peninsula to western Turkey.

This species is no longer counted:

use

The gold crocus is widely used as an ornamental plant for borders, rock gardens and lawns. The species has been in culture since 1579 at the latest. At the moment the wild species is rarely planted.

  • Illustration from Germany's flora in illustrations

  • Crocus flavus subsp. flavus

  • bud

  • Side view of the flower

  • Close up of the flower

In the meantime, almost only the sterile hybrid with Crocus angustifolius (synonyms: Crocus × luteus Lam., 'Dutch Yellow', 'Gelber Riese', 'Yellow Mammoth') is cultivated. This has been known since the beginning of the 17th century and has larger, solid orange flowers.

  • Crocus 'Yellow Mammoth'

  • Side view of the flower

  • Close up of the flower

Other, rarer varieties are 'Sulphureus concolor' with light yellow flowers and C. × stellaris hort. (another hybrid with Crocus angustifolius ) with a black-striped perigon on the outside.

literature

  • Eckehart J. Jäger, Friedrich Ebel, Peter Hanelt, Gerd K. Müller (eds.): Rothmaler excursion flora from Germany. Volume 5: Herbaceous ornamental and useful plants . Spectrum Academic Publishing House, Berlin Heidelberg 2008, ISBN 978-3-8274-0918-8 .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Erich Oberdorfer : Plant-sociological excursion flora for Germany and neighboring areas . With the collaboration of Angelika Schwabe and Theo Müller. 8th, heavily revised and expanded edition. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 2001, ISBN 3-8001-3131-5 , pp.  143 .
  2. ↑ a b c d e Rafaël Govaerts (Ed.): Crocus flavus. In: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP) - The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved July 23, 2018.

Web links

Commons : Gold Crocus  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files