Spring crocus
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Spring Crocus ( Crocus vernus subsp. Albiflorus ) |
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The Spring Crocus ( Crocus vernus ), also Spring saffron called, is a plant of the genus of the crocus ( Crocus ) within the family of the Iridaceae (Iridaceae).
Description and ecology
Vegetative characteristics
The spring crocus grows as a perennial herbaceous plant and reaches heights of 5 to 15 centimeters. This geophyte forms tubers as persistent organs. Every year the plant forms a new spherical tuber that sits on the old one. This reproductive process takes place in three steps. At first it exists as a bud in the shell of the mother tuber. In the following year it develops into an independent tuber, while the mother tuber gradually dies. After three years it will flower itself and leave new buds behind.
The leaves are basal and narrow, grass-like, with a white central nerve and rolled down edges. These are usually not fully developed at the time of flowering. The leaves have a drill point made of thickened cells to pierce the snow cover.
Generative characteristics
The upright flowers react to temperature fluctuations of 0.2 ° C and close when larger clouds are passing by and only have a membranous bract . The flower color is white to violet, sometimes with violet stripes (Albiflorus and Sarplaninae groups), sometimes with dark markings on the perigone tips (Heuffelianus and Sarplaninae groups, rarely Crocus tommasinianus ). The bracts are fused with tubes at the base and form a 2 to 5 centimeter long funnel. The Spring Crocus has three stamens with yellow pollen and a pen with three stigma lobes (rarely capitate at Crocus albiflorus ), the stylus is usually longer, only Crocus albiflorus usually shorter than the stamens. The flowering time is from March to June, in snow valleys rarely until the beginning of August.
Systematics
Subspecies according to Mathew
According to Brian Mathew 1982, two subspecies are distinguished:
- The subspecies Crocus vernus subsp. vernus usually has violet flowers and the style towering over the stamens.
- The subspecies Crocus vernus subsp. albiflorus (Kit. ex Schult.) Ces. has white to purple, often striped flowers with stylus surmounted by the stamens.
Brian Mathew himself states that the "species" Crocus vernus is probably too broad and consists of several "good" species, morphology and karyology alone cannot be reconciled.
Subgroups according to Dietrich
Gregor Dietrich 2002 came to the conclusion that the species Crocus tommasinianus , which was previously delimited from Crocus vernus, should be included in the species group of a collective species , which is divided into four equivalent subgroups. However, genetic analyzes that confirm his theses are currently still missing:
Eastern group
Characteristics: dark marking on the tepal tips (Heuffelianus drawing, presumably an old characteristic (plesiomorphism), also occurs in Crocus veluchensis , which has repeatedly led to confusion), no veins, tubers with short, basal "runners", chromosome base number x = 5, apparently old group within the aggregate. Species:
- Crocus heuffelianus - Heuffel or oak forest saffron: flowers large, markings very rich in contrast, leaves very broad (7–14 mm), n = x = 5, 2n = 10, diploid
- Habitat: oak-hornbeam forests, in the north of the distribution area (no competing species) also meadows (there the leaves are still narrow during the flowering period).
- Area: from the Banat within the Carpathian Arch to eastern Hungary, eastern Slovakia and north in the Ukraine beyond the Carpathian Forest.
- Crocus sp. 'Cakor Pass': flowers small, markings very high-contrast, leaves narrow (2 mm), n = x + 1 = 6, 2n = 12, aneuploid (hyperploid)
- Relates to Crocus heuffelianus in the same way as Crocus albiflorus relates to Crocus purpureus , i.e. as an alpine dwarf form of the tribe.
- Habitat: subalpine lawns
- Area: Montenegrin-Serbian border mountains, currently only known from the Čakorpass .
- Interestingly, this clan is well documented in the herbarium, photographically and through chromosome counts from the previously known site.
- Crocus discolor ( Crocus scepusiensis , Tatra saffron): flowers large, markings mostly poor in contrast, leaves narrow to medium wide (2–5 mm), n = 2x-1 = 9, 2n = 18, hypoautotetraploid (aneuploid-tetraploid)
- For reasons of priority, the better known name Crocus scepusiensis must be given up.
- Habitat: subalpine to montane grasslands
- Area: Northwestern Carpathians - eastern Czech Republic, southern Poland, Slovakia
- Crocus exiguus ( Crocus vittatus , Crocus veluchensis auct. , Crocus uniflorus , Crocus napolitanus auct., Illyrian or Pontic crocus, Illyrian saffron): flowers large, markings mostly moderately contrasting, leaves narrow to medium-wide (2–7 mm), n = x + y = 9, 2n = 18 (n = x + y + 1 = 10, 2n = 20), allotetraploid (amphidiploid)
- Actually not to be assigned to this group, but hybridogenic originated from Crocus heuffelianus × Crocus albiflorus , but morphologically and geographically appropriate here; young species, karyologically very variable (chromosome morphology, probably also banding) to unstable (aneuploidy)
- Habitat: subalpine lawns (Uniflorus / Veluchensis type, blooms before leaves unfold), meadows (Exiguus type, narrow leaves) and beech forests (Vittatus type, broad-leaved)
- Area: from the eastern Carpathians over the Balkan Peninsula (in the south to Albania) to the south-eastern Alps. Occurs in Austria in southern Styria and in Carinthia.
Western group
Characteristics: flowers without point markings, but often with darker veins, without runners; Chromosome base number y = 4, presumably a young group, since karyologically relatively unstable
- Crocus purpureus ( Crocus napolitanus , Naples saffron): flowers medium-sized, violet, mostly weakly veined, style mostly towering over the stamens, pollen regular, n = y = 4, 2n = 8, diploid, regular but variable (C-bands etc. )
- This clan came from Naples to Clusius in Vienna, where it found distribution as an ornamental plant and where it grew wild in Lower Austria and became naturalized. Clusius named it Crocus purpureus grandiflorus (large-flowered in relation to the native C. albiflorus and the then cultivated Crocus biflorus and Crocus flavus ). The first binary name for the Clusius plants is Crocus purpureus , but the names of Weston were unjustifiably regarded as not conforming to the rules and the later name Crocus napolitanus , which also refers to the plants from Naples, was recognized as valid. Since all other Weston names are now recognized, there is no reason to doubt the conformity of Crocus purpureus with the rules . The only way to make Crocus napolitanus a valid name would be to have it preserved by the Nomenclature Commission - that would also make sense for Crocus scepusiensis . As a garden variety, 'Ruby Giant' (in trade as Crocus tommasinianus , which it is by no means) belonging here .
- Habitat: meadows and light forests (hornbeam, hop beech, oak)
- Area: southern and eastern Italian inland south of the Po plain and parts of the Balkan Peninsula (so far proven from Velebit eastwards to the Plitvice Lakes and north to Karlovac); Naturalized in Lower Austria. The " Crocus napolitanus ", which came to Northern Germany via a different route, including Husum , belong to the tetraploid species Crocus vernus s. st. on.
- Crocus albiflorus (Alpine saffron): flowers small, white to violet, often with darker veins, very variable, style mostly dominated by the stamens (long-styled populations in Burgenland and eastern Styria, for example), pollen irregular (exception: "Crocus vilmae" from Sarajevo , violet blooming), autogamous, flowers well above the leaves, n = y = 4, 2n = 8, diploid, variable, mostly irregular: 4th pair of chromosomes unequal
- Descendant of Crocus purpureus with transition to autogamy and reduced fertility.
- Habitat: subalpine, rarely to colline, fresh to moist lawns - on the Balkan Peninsula also populations in alternately dry locations.
- Area: predominantly tertiary fold mountain belt from the Pyrenees over the Alps in the east to the Günser Mountains to the Balkan Peninsula in the south to Albania - as well as isolated Massif Central, Jura, Alsace, Bohemian Massif. According to the literature, the species also occurs on the Apennines, which cannot be verified on the basis of herbarium evidence.
- Crocus albiflorus prefers fresh, moist soils, meadows and pastures at altitudes of 600 to 2700 meters, where it often occurs in stock-forming (crocus meadow). Requires relatively nutrient-rich (fertilized) meadows, also in warehouse corridors . The distribution area includes the Alps , Jura, Massif Central, Pyrenees and the Balkan Peninsula, but is absent in the Balkans themselves.
Crocus albiflorus ,
Habitat ( Allgäu Alps )
Crocus albiflorus ,
flower
Crocus albiflorus
Crocus albiflorus in a collection garden
- Crocus siculus (Sicily saffron): flowers small, white to purple, sometimes with darker veins, stylus surmounted by the stamens, pollen regular, probably autogamous, leaves more than half as long as the flowers protruding, n = y = 4, 2n = 8, diploid, regular
- Habitat: upper montane to subalpine lawns
- Area: Sicily
- Crocus vernus s. st. ( Crocus napolitanus auct., Garden or spring saffron): flowers large, white to violet, sometimes veined, style towering over the stamens, regular pollen (exception: aneuploid individuals / garden varieties), n = 2y = 8, 2n = 16, tetraploid, regular, but tendency to aneuploidy (very large-flowered garden varieties), not directly descending from a recent diploid clan (chromosome morphology unique).
- This clan is likely to have been cultivated around the same time as Crocus purpureus in Western Europe and, when Clusius went to Leiden, it was already in use there as an ornamental plant, which is why Clusius' small-flowered "Purpureus grandiflorus" had no chance. The large-flowered nature, however, led to widespread confusion with Crocus napolitanus, which was described as large-flowered with reference to Clusius .
- Habitat: colline to high-montane meadows, light forests
- Area : northwestern Apennine peninsula (southernmost proven site: Pisa) to southwestern Alps; Naturalized in Alsace, in Baden-Württemberg near Zavelstein, near Husum, in the Jizera Mountains etc. According to genetic studies from 2015, the occurrence near Zavelstein in Baden-Württemberg belongs to the species Crocus neglectus Peruzzi & Carta , a species first described in 2014 that is native to northwestern Italy is.
Large numbers of Crocus neglectus , Zavelstein , Baden-Württemberg
Single flower of Crocus neglectus , Zavelstein , Baden-Württemberg
Balkan group
- Crocus tommasinianus ( elven crocus ): flowers medium-sized, purple, mostly without markings, only the perigone tube brighter than the perigone tips, these rarely with Heuffelianus markings (introgression of Crocus exiguus? ); n = 2y = 8, 2n = 16, tetraploid
- Habitat: different forest types
- Area: patchy area on the Balkan Peninsula from Hungary to Montenegro, from Croatia to Bulgaria (the only type of Vernus group there)
Southern group
- Crocus "sarplaninae" nom. nud .: flowers medium-sized, violet, outer tepals with Heuffelianus markings, inner somewhat veined, 2n = 22 (hexaploid?)
- Older “paleopolyploid” relic clan or more recent hybridogenic origin? Probably either the oldest (basal) or the youngest clan of the Vernus group including Crocus tommasinianus
- Chromosome morphologically, all three other groups of the Vernus group are recognizable: Heuffelianus, Napolitanus and Tommasinianus typical chromosomes
- Habitat: Meadows - whether only?
- Area: so far only several times along the Tetovo – Urosevac road, exact area unknown.
Hybrids
Hybrid barriers
Neither in the natural habitat nor in naturalized populations nor in attempted crossbreeding in culture was Crocus vernus s. st. × Crocus albiflorus can be detected. This genetic barrier of Crocus vernus probably also applies to Crocus purpureus and Crocus siculus .
Natural hybrids
- Crocus × fritschii = Crocus exiguus × Crocus albiflorus : Regular to frequent in mixed populations (about 50% of Croci on the Ucka in Istria), despite 2n = 13 in F1 fertile, all morphological transitions through frequent backcrossing.
- Sarplanina hybrid: morphologically similar to Crocus exiguus , found between Crocus “sarplaninae” , with 2n = 23, without homologous pairs of chromosomes. Parents questionable, single copy documented.
According to the area possible, so far not proven natural hybrids:
- Crocus heuffelianus × Crocus discolor : unlikely due to ecological separation;
- Crocus heuffelianus × Crocus exiguus : seems possible;
- Crocus purpureus × Crocus albiflorus : natural hybrids are possible, they were found in Lower Austria in an anointed population of both species (about 1% of the mixed population). At least in Velebit (type locality of Crocus albiflorus ) both occur together.
- Crocus exiguus × Crocus tommasinianus : do Crocus tommasinianus with Heuffelianus drawing (such as 'Pictus') arise through introgression of Crocus exiguus ?
- Crocus exiguus × Crocus "sarplaninae" , Crocus tommasinianus × Crocus "sarplaninae"
Culture hybrids
- Crocus vernus × Crocus tommasinianus : emerged several times, such as the triploid 'Vanguard' variety
Common names
The other common German names Bischoffskrokus, Blümischken ( Carinthia in Mölltal ), Brennwürzli ( Switzerland , Entlibuch), Burzigebeln ( Zillertal ), Burzigackeln (Zillertal), Burzigagelar (Zillertal), Burzigageln (Zillertal), exist for the spring crocus . Fuatterreif ( Graubünden near Davos ), Guggasli ( St. Gallen in the Rhine Valley ), Hutreif (Switzerland), Kälferschissen ( Bernese Oberland ), Krokasli (St. Gallen), Krokusle (Bernese Oberland), Leffrat, Leifrat ( Jura ), Saferntblümli (Berner Oberland), Saffer Forest ( Transylvania ), Saffran, Schneeblümel ( Austria , Carinthia, Pinzgau , Pongau ), Schneeglöcklein (Graubünden), Schneekatherl (Austria), Schneekraut (Bernese Oberland), Father and Mother (Carinthia in Gailtal ) and Little Timeless ( St. Gallen near Sargans ).
literature
- Xaver Finkenzeller, Jürke Grau: Alpine flowers. Recognize and determine (= Steinbach's natural guide ). Mosaik, Munich 2002, ISBN 3-576-11482-3 .
- Manfred A. Fischer, Wolfgang Adler, Karl Oswald: Excursion flora for Austria, Liechtenstein and South Tyrol . 2nd, improved and enlarged edition. State of Upper Austria, Biology Center of the Upper Austrian State Museums, Linz 2005, ISBN 3-85474-140-5 .
- Brian Mathew: The Crocus 1982
- Gregor Dietrich: Contributions to the biosystematics of the Crocus vernus group. - Diploma thesis at the University of Vienna 2002.
Individual evidence
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ Mike Thiv, Arno Wörz: The new identity of the Zavelsteiner crocus as Crocus neglectus after DNA studies. In: Annuals of the Society for Natural History in Württemberg , Stuttgart 2015, Volume 171, pp. 163–172. ISSN 0368-2307
- ^ Georg August Pritzel , Carl Jessen : The German folk names of plants. New contribution to the German linguistic treasure. Philipp Cohen, Hanover 1882, p. 118 f. ( online ).
Web links
- Crocus vernus subsp. vernus
- Crocus vernus subsp. albiflorus
- The poisonous plant Crocus vernus
- Crocus vernus (L.) Hill, spring crocus. In: FloraWeb.de.
- Crocus albiflorus Kit., White crocus. In: FloraWeb.de.
- Profile and distribution map for Bavaria . In: Botanical Information Hub of Bavaria .
- Crocus albiflorus kit. In: Info Flora , the national data and information center for Swiss flora .