Spanish autumn crocus
| Spanish autumn crocus | ||||||||||||
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Crocus serotinus subsp. clusii |
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| Crocus serotinus | ||||||||||||
| Salisb. |
The Spanish autumn crocus ( Crocus serotinus ) is a plant from the genus of crocus ( Crocus ).
features
The Spanish autumn crocus is an autumn-spring green, perennial tuberous geophyte that forms subterranean runners and reaches heights of 8 to probably 15 centimeters. There are 3 to 7 sheets . The bracts are green. The flowers are not fragrant. The throat is usually downy-haired and white or pale yellow. The perigone lobes are pale purple to deep purple in color and often veined with darker veins. There are 6 or more stylus branches.
The flowering period extends from September to October.
Occurrence
The Spanish autumn crocus is found in Spain, Portugal, and northwest Africa.
Systematics
The species includes 3 subspecies:
- Crocus serotinus subsp. serotinus : The tuberous shell is coarsely fibrous. There are 3 or 4 leaves that are already developed at the time of flowering. The anthers are 8 to 12 millimeters long. This subspecies occurs in southern and central Portugal.
- Crocus serotinus subsp. clusii (J.Gay) B.Mathew : The tuber shell is fine, silky, reticulated. There are 4 to 7 leaves that develop towards the end of the flowering period. The perigone measure 25 to 38 × 8 to 13 millimeters. This subspecies occurs in Portugal and western Spain in loose pine forests and bushes at altitudes of 100 to 900 meters. The number of chromosomes is 2n = 22.
- Crocus serotinus subsp. salzmannii (J.Gay) B.Mathew : The tuberous shell is membranous-parallel-fiber. There are 5 to 7 (rarely 4) leaves that are developed or absent at flowering time. The flowers are large. The perigone measure 35 to 55 (rarely from 25) × 7 to 18 millimeters. Sometimes runners are formed. This subspecies occurs in southern, central and northern Spain as well as in Morocco in the area of Tangier and the Rif mountain range at altitudes of 300 to 2350 (rarely from 100) meters.
use
The Spanish autumn crocus is widely used as an ornamental plant for lawns, borders and rock gardens. The species has been in culture since 1843 at the latest.
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 .
