Colchicum autumnale
Species of flowering plant / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Colchicum autumnale, commonly known as autumn crocus, meadow saffron,[3] naked boys[4] or naked ladies,[5] is a toxic autumn-blooming flowering plant that resembles the true crocuses, but is a member of the plant family Colchicaceae, unlike the true crocuses, which belong to the family Iridaceae. It is called "naked boys/ladies" because the flowers emerge from the ground long before the leaves appear.[6] Despite the vernacular name of "meadow saffron", this plant is not the source of saffron, which is obtained from the saffron crocus, Crocus sativus – and that plant, too, is sometimes called "autumn crocus".
Colchicum autumnale | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Liliales |
Family: | Colchicaceae |
Genus: | Colchicum |
Species: | C. autumnale |
Binomial name | |
Colchicum autumnale | |
Synonyms[2] | |
Synonyms list
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The species is cultivated as an ornamental in temperate areas, in spite of its toxicity. The cultivar 'Nancy Lindsay' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[7][8]