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Colchicum autumnale

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Colchicum autumnale
Scientific classificationEdit this 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
    • Colchicum communeNeck.
    • Bulbocodium antumnale(L.) Lapeyr.
    • Colchicum vernaleHoffm.
    • Colchicum vernum(Reichard) Georgi
    • Colchicum polyanthonKer Gawl.
    • Colchicum praecoxSpenn.
    • Colchicum crociflorumSims
    • Colchicum orientaleFriv. ex Kunth
    • Colchicum autumnalevar.viridiflorumOpiz
    • Colchicum pannonicumGriseb. & Schenk
    • Colchicum transsilvanicumSchur
    • Colchicum turcicumsubsp.pannonicum(Griseb. & Schenk) Nyman
    • Colchicum bulgaricumVelen.
    • Colchicum borisiiStef.
    • Colchicum vranjanumAdamovic ex Stef.
    • Colchicum doerflerivar.orientaleKitanov
    • Colchicum drenowskiiDegen & Rech.f. ex Kitan.
    • Colchicum rhodopaeumKov.

Colchicum autumnale,commonly known asautumn crocus,meadow saffron,[3]naked boys[4]ornaked ladies,[5]is a toxic autumn-bloomingflowering plantthat resembles the truecrocuses,but is a member of the plant familyColchicaceae,unlike the true crocuses, which belong to the familyIridaceae.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 ofsaffron,which is obtained from the saffron crocus,Crocus sativus– and that plant, too, is sometimes called "autumn crocus".

The species is cultivated as an ornamental in temperate areas, in spite of its toxicity. The cultivar 'Nancy Lindsay' has gained theRoyal Horticultural Society'sAward of Garden Merit.[7][8]

Description[edit]

Thisherbaceousperennialhas leaves up to 25 cm (10 in) long. The flowers are solitary, 4–7 cm (2–3 in) across, with sixtepalsand sixstamenswith orange anthers and three white styles.[9]: 324 At the time of fertilisation, theovaryis below ground.[10]

Distribution and habitat[edit]

C. autumnaleis the only species of its family native toGreat BritainandIreland,[11][10]with notable populations under the stewardship of theCounty Wildlife Trusts.It also occurs across mainland Europe fromPortugaltoUkraine,and is reportedly naturalised inSweden,European Russia,andNew Zealand.[2]It grows in lowland grassy meadows.[12]

Pharmaceutical uses[edit]

The bulb-likecormsofC. autumnalecontaincolchicine,a useful drug with a narrowtherapeutic index.Colchicine is approved in many countries for the treatment ofgoutandfamilial Mediterranean fever.Colchicine is also used in plant breeding to producepolyploidstrains.[citation needed]

Toxicity[edit]

Colchicumis lethally toxic due to its colchicine content and the leaves have been mistaken by foragers for those ofAllium ursinum(ramsons or wild garlic), which they vaguely resemble.[13][14]

This plant (and colchicine itself) poses a particular threat tofelines.The corms of meadow saffron contain the highest level of toxins, but all parts of the plant are regarded as poisonous.[citation needed]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^Linnaeus, Carl von. 1753. Species Plantarum 1: 341,Colchicum autumnale
  2. ^abKew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families,Colchicum autumnale
  3. ^BSBI List 2007(xls).Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland.Archived fromthe original(xls)on 2015-06-26.Retrieved2014-10-17.
  4. ^https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/2000/7-28-2000/colchicums.html
  5. ^A R Clapham, T G Tutin and E F Warburg,Flora of the British Isles,second edition, 1962, p 982
  6. ^Gajic. 1977. Glasnik prirodnaučkog museja u Beogradu, Serija B, Bioloake nauke Nauke 32: 8.Colchicum autumnale
  7. ^"RHS Plantfinder - Colchicum autumnale 'Nancy Lindsay'".Retrieved12 January2018.
  8. ^"AGM Plants - Ornamental"(PDF).Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 22.Retrieved24 January2018.
  9. ^Blamey, M.; Fitter, R.; Fitter, A (2003).Wild flowers of Britain and Ireland: The Complete Guide to the British and Irish Flora.London: A & C Black.ISBN978-1408179505.
  10. ^abParnell, J. and Curtis, T. 2012.Webb's An Irish Flora.Cork University Press.ISBN978-185918-4783
  11. ^Clive Stace,New Flora of the British Isles3rd edition 1991, p 855
  12. ^"Colchicum autumnale - Burke Herbarium Image Collection".burkeherbarium.org.Retrieved2023-07-27.
  13. ^"Podlesek usoden za dve osebi".24ur.April 6, 2018.RetrievedApril 6,2018.
  14. ^Rousseau G, Clément J, Fezard JB, Laribi S (2022)."Intoxication au colchique par confusion avec l'ail des ours"[Colchicum poisoning by confusion with wild garlic (Allium ursinum)].Rev Med Interne(in French).43(9): 559–561.doi:10.1016/j.revmed.2022.04.022.PMID35597736.

Further reading[edit]

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