Crocus etruscus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Crocus etruscus | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Iridaceae |
| Genus: | Crocus |
| Species: | C. etruscus |
| Binomial name | |
| Crocus etruscus | |
Crocus etruscus (Tuscan crocus) is a species of flowering plant in the genus Crocus of the family Iridaceae, endemic to woodlands of Central Tuscany (Italy).[2] It is a cormous perennial growing to 8 cm (3.1 in) tall. The lilac flowers with purple veining and prominent orange stigmas appear in early spring.[3]
Crocus etruscus is a herbaceous perennial geophyte growing from a corm. The corm is globe shaped with a flat top, the tunic is coarsely netted and a secondary star-shaped tunic is produced around the basal plate (where the roots are generated). Flowers are lavender-blue with gray-blue outer surfaces that are marked with dark veining. The three-branched, orange-red stigma is generally taller than the anthers. Flowering occurs in late winter- early spring.[4] Plants are self-incompatible,[5] meaning that viable seeds are not produced when pollination occurs among flowers of the same corm. The anthers open up away from the center of the flower to release pollen.[5]
