''Colchicum'' ( or ) is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s containing around 160

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

which grow from bulb-like

corm Corm, bulbo-tuber, or bulbotuber is a short, vertical, swollen, underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ that some plants use to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat (perennation). The word ''c ...

s. It is a member of the botanical

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Colchicaceae Colchicaceae is a family of flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; ...

, and is

native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...

to West

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

, parts of the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

coast, down the

East Africa East Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the Africa, African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the regi ...

n coast to

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

and the

Western Cape The Western Cape ( ; , ) is a provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the List of South African provinces by area, fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , an ...

. In this genus, the

ovary The ovary () is a gonad in the female reproductive system that produces ova; when released, an ovum travels through the fallopian tube/ oviduct into the uterus. There is an ovary on the left and the right side of the body. The ovaries are end ...

of the

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

is underground. As a consequence, the styles are extremely long in proportion, often more than . All species in the genus are toxic.

Common names

The common names autumn crocus, meadow saffron and naked lady may be applied to the whole genus or to many of its species; they refer to the "naked"

crocus ''Crocus'' (; plural: crocuses or croci) is a genus of seasonal flowering plants in the family Iridaceae (iris family) comprising about 100 species of perennial plant, perennials growing from corms. They are low growing plants, whose flower stem ...

-like flowers that appear in late summer or autumn, long before the strap-like foliage which appears in spring. ''Colchicum'' and ''Crocus'' look alike and can be confused by the casual observer. To add to the confusion, there are autumn-flowering species of crocus. However, colchicums have 3 styles and 6

stamen The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...

s, while crocuses have 1 style supporting 3 long stigmas and 3 stamens. In addition, the

structures are quite different—in ''Colchicum'', the corm is irregular, while in crocuses, the corm is like a flattened ball. ''

Crocus ''Crocus'' (; plural: crocuses or croci) is a genus of seasonal flowering plants in the family Iridaceae (iris family) comprising about 100 species of perennial plant, perennials growing from corms. They are low growing plants, whose flower stem ...

'' is in the iris

Iridaceae Iridaceae () is a family of plants in order Asparagales, taking its name from the Iris (plant), irises. It has a nearly global distribution, with 69 accepted genera with a total of about 2500 species. It includes a number of economically importan ...

Etymology

The name of the genus derives from Κολχίς (

Colchis In classical antiquity and Greco-Roman geography, Colchis (; ) was an exonym for the Georgian polity of Egrisi ( ka, ეგრისი) located on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, centered in present-day western Georgia. Its population, the ...

), the

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...

name for the region of კოლხეთი ( Kolkhida) in modern

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

(

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...

). Colchis features in

Greek mythology Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...

as the land to which the

Argonauts The Argonauts ( ; ) were a band of heroes in Greek mythology, who in the years before the Trojan War (around 1300 BC) accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest to find the Golden Fleece. Their name comes from their ship, ''Argo'', named after it ...

journeyed in quest of the golden fleece and where

Jason Jason ( ; ) was an ancient Greek mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece is featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was married to the sorceress Med ...

encountered

Medea In Greek mythology, Medea (; ; ) is the daughter of Aeëtes, King Aeëtes of Colchis. Medea is known in most stories as a sorceress, an accomplished "wiktionary:φαρμακεία, pharmakeía" (medicinal magic), and is often depicted as a high- ...

. The Greek

toponym Toponymy, toponymics, or toponomastics is the study of ''wikt:toponym, toponyms'' (proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names), including their origins, meanings, usage, and types. ''Toponym'' is the general term for ...

''Colchis'' is thought by scholars to derive from the Urartian ''Qulḫa'', pronounced "Kolcha" (guttural "ch" - as in Scots ''loch'').

Relationships

'' Colchicum melanthioides'', also known as ''Androcymbium melanthioides'', is probably the best known species from the

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

regions. In contrast to most temperate colchicums, the flower and leaves are produced at the same time, the white flowers usually in a small corymb that is enclosed by white bracts. Close relatives such as '' Colchicum scabromarginatum'' (''Androcymbium scabromarginatum'') and '' Colchicum coloratum'' (''Androcymbium burchellii'') have flowers with very short stalks and may be pollinated by

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the Order (biology), order Rodentia ( ), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and Mandible, lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal specie ...

Cultivation

Temperate colchicums are commonly grown in gardens as ornamental flowers. Species found in cultivation include: * ''C.'' × ''agrippinum'' * '' C. autumnale'' * ''C.'' × ''byzantinum'' * '' C. cilicicum'' * '' C. lusitanum'' * '' C. speciosum'' * '' C. tenorei'' There are also

cultivars A cultivar is a kind of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and which retains those traits when propagated. Methods used to propagate cultivars include division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue cult ...

and hybrids such as:- * ''C.'' 'Dick Trotter' (violet with white centre) * ''C.'' 'Disraeli' (purple white), * ''C.'' 'Giant' (red with white centre) * ''C.'' 'Harlekijn' (white with purple band) * ''C.'' 'Lilac Wonder' (lilac) * ''C.'' 'Pink Goblet' (violet-purple) * ''C.'' 'Poseidon' (purple) * ''C.'' 'Rosy Dawn' (rose pink) * ''C.'' 'Violet Queen' (purple) * ''C.'' 'Waterlily' (double, lilac-pink) Those marked have gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. It includes the full range of cultivated p ...

(confirmed 2017). In the United Kingdom, the National Collection of colchicums is maintained at

Felbrigg Hall Felbrigg Hall is a 17th-century English country house near the village of that name in Norfolk. Part of a National Trust property, the unaltered 17th-century house is noted for its Jacobean architecture and fine Georgian interior. Outside ...

Norfolk Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...

Medicinal uses and poisonous properties

Plants in this genus contain toxic amounts of the

alkaloid Alkaloids are a broad class of natural product, naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom. Some synthetic compounds of similar structure may also be termed alkaloids. Alkaloids are produced by a large varie ...

colchicine Colchicine is a medication used to prevent and treat gout, to treat familial Mediterranean fever and Behçet's disease, and to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction. The American College of Rheumatology recommends colchicine, nonstero ...

which is used pharmaceutically to treat

gout Gout ( ) is a form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by recurrent attacks of pain in a red, tender, hot, and Joint effusion, swollen joint, caused by the deposition of needle-like crystals of uric acid known as monosodium urate crysta ...

and

Familial Mediterranean fever Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a hereditary inflammatory disorder. FMF is an autoinflammatory disease caused by mutations in the Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene, which encodes a 781–amino acid protein called pyrin. While all ethnic ...

. The use of the

root In vascular plants, the roots are the plant organ, organs of a plant that are modified to provide anchorage for the plant and take in water and nutrients into the plant body, which allows plants to grow taller and faster. They are most often bel ...

s and seeds in traditional medicine is thought to have arisen due to the presence of this drug. Its

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

and

seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...

s are

poison A poison is any chemical substance that is harmful or lethal to living organisms. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figurati ...

ous. Murderer Catherine Wilson is thought to have used it to poison a number of victims in the 19th century. The species known to contain the most lethal amount of colchicine is '' C. autumnale''.

Species

The following are the species included in the genus ''Colchicum''. Many species previously classified in ''Androcymbium'', ''Bulbocodium'' and ''Merendera'' were moved to ''Colchicum'' based on molecular genetic evidence. '' Androcymbium'' is currently considered a separate genus by some. * ''Colchicum'' × ''agrippinum'' (probably a hybrid of garden origin) * '' Colchicum alpinum'' DC. in J.B.A.M.de Lamarck & A.P.de Candolle * '' Colchicum androcymbioides'' (Valdés) K.Perss. * '' Colchicum antepense'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum antilibanoticum'' Gomb. * '' Colchicum arenarium'' Waldst. & Kit. * '' Colchicum arenasii'' Fridl. * '' Colchicum asteranthum'' Vassiliades & K.M.Perss. * '' Colchicum atropurpureum'' Stapf ex Stearn (unresolved name) * '' Colchicum atticum'' Spruner ex Tommas. * '' Colchicum autumnale'' L. * '' Colchicum balansae'' Planch. * '' Colchicum baytopiorum'' C.D.Brickell * '' Colchicum bivonae'' Guss. * '' Colchicum boissieri'' Orph. * '' Colchicum bulbocodium'' Ker Gawl. * '' Colchicum burttii'' Meikle * ''Colchicum'' × ''byzantinum'' Ker Gawl. * '' Colchicum chalcedonicum'' Azn. * '' Colchicum chimonanthum'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum chlorobasis'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum cilicicum'' (Boiss.) Dammer * '' Colchicum confusum'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum corsicum'' Baker * '' Colchicum cretense'' Greuter * '' Colchicum crocifolium'' Boiss. * '' Colchicum cupanii'' Guss. * '' Colchicum davisii'' C.D.Brickell * '' Colchicum decaisnei'' Boiss. * '' Colchicum doerfleri'' Halácsy * '' Colchicum dolichantherum'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum eichleri'' (Regel) K.Perss. * '' Colchicum euboeum'' (Boiss.) K.Perss. * '' Colchicum fasciculare'' (L.) R.Br. * '' Colchicum feinbruniae'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum figlalii'' (Varol) Parolly & Eren * '' Colchicum filifolium'' (Cambess.) Stef. * '' Colchicum freynii'' Bornm. * '' Colchicum gonarei'' Camarda * '' Colchicum graecum'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum greuteri'' (Gabrieljan) K.Perss. * '' Colchicum haynaldii'' Heuff. * '' Colchicum heldreichii'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum hierosolymitanum'' Feinbrun * '' Colchicum hirsutum'' Stef. * '' Colchicum hungaricum'' Janka * '' Colchicum ignescens'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum imperatoris-friderici'' Siehe ex K.Perss. * '' Colchicum inundatum'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum kesselringii'' Regel * '' Colchicum kotschyi'' Boiss. * '' Colchicum kurdicum'' (Bornm.) Stef. * '' Colchicum laetum'' Steven * '' Colchicum lagotum'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum leptanthum'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum lingulatum'' Boiss. & Spruner in P.E.Boissier * '' Colchicum longifolium'' Castagne * '' Colchicum lusitanum'' Brot. * '' Colchicum luteum'' Baker * '' Colchicum macedonicum'' Kosanin * '' Colchicum macrophyllum'' B.L.Burtt * '' Colchicum manissadjianii'' (Azn.) K.Perss. * '' Colchicum micaceum'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum micranthum'' Boiss. * '' Colchicum minutum'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum mirzoevae'' (Gabrieljan) K.Perss. * '' Colchicum montanum'' L. * '' Colchicum multiflorum'' Brot. * '' Colchicum munzurense'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum nanum'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum neapolitanum'' (Ten.) Ten. * '' Colchicum parlatoris'' Orph. * '' Colchicum parnassicum'' Sart., Orph. & Heldr. in P.E.Boissier * '' Colchicum paschei'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum peloponnesiacum'' Rech.f. & P.H.Davis * '' Colchicum persicum'' Baker * '' Colchicum polyphyllum'' Boiss. & Heldr. in P.E.Boissier * '' Colchicum pulchellum'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum pusillum'' Sieber * '' Colchicum raddeanum'' (Regel) K.Perss. * '' Colchicum rausii'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum ritchii'' R.Br. * '' Colchicum robustum'' (Bunge) Stef. * '' Colchicum sanguicolle'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum schimperi'' Janka ex Stef. * '' Colchicum serpentinum'' Woronow ex Miscz. * '' Colchicum sfikasianum'' Kit Tan & Iatroú * '' Colchicum sieheanum'' Hausskn. ex Stef. * '' Colchicum soboliferum'' (C.A.Mey.) Stef. * ''

Colchicum speciosum ''Colchicum speciosum'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Colchicaceae, native to mountainous areas of northern Turkey, the Caucasus and northern Iran. Growing to tall by wide, it is an herbaceous perennial growing from corms. ''C ...

'' Steven * '' Colchicum stevenii'' Kunth * '' Colchicum szovitsii'' Fisch. & C.A.Mey. * '' Colchicum trigynum'' (Steven ex Adam) Stearn * '' Colchicum triphyllum'' Kunze * '' Colchicum troodi'' Kotschy in F.Unger & C.G.T.Kotschy * '' Colchicum tunicatum'' Feinbrun * '' Colchicum turcicum'' Janka * '' Colchicum tuviae'' Feinbrun * '' Colchicum umbrosum'' Steven * '' Colchicum varians'' (Freyn & Bornm.) Dyer in B.D.Jackson * '' Colchicum variegatum'' L. * '' Colchicum wendelboi'' K.Perss. * '' Colchicum woronowii'' Bokeriya * '' Colchicum zahnii'' Heldr.

References

Sources

* Suite 101. Plants and Bulbs: Hardy Fall-Blooming Bulbs for Your Garden
Veseys: Information for gardeners
* A Handbook of Crocus and Colchicum for Gardeners, Bowles, E. A., D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc., 1952 * The European Garden Flora: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass, Volume 1, Walters, S. M., et al., editors, Cambridge University Press, 1984 {{Authority control Colchicaceae genera Medicinal plants