Crocus longiflorus, the long-flowered crocus,[1] is a species of flowering plant in the genus Crocus of the family Iridaceae, found in Southwest Italy, Sicilia, and Malta.[2]

Crocus longiflorus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Genus: Crocus
Species:
C. longiflorus
Binomial name
Crocus longiflorus
Raf.

Growing to 10 cm (3.9 in) tall, it is a cormous perennial. It produces pale lilac or purple blooms in autumn, along with the sword-shaped leaves.

In the 19th century, Crocus longiflorus stigmas were harvested from the wild and used for saffron in Sicily.[3]

In cultivation in the UK, this plant is a recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Crocus longiflorus". www.rhs.org. Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  2. ^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  3. ^ Maw, George (1886). A Monograph of the Genus Crocus. Soho Square, London: Dulau and Co. p. 87. Retrieved 6 April 2024.