Crocus ancyrensis | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Iridaceae |
Genus: | Crocus |
Species: | C. ancyrensis
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Binomial name | |
Crocus ancyrensis (Herb.) Maw
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Crocus ancyrensis, sometimes known as the Ankara crocus, [1] (Turkish: Ankara çiğdemi) is a species of flowering plant in the genus Crocus of the family Iridaceae, endemic to North and Central Turkey. [2] It was named ancyrensis as it was first discovered in Ankara. [3]
Crocus ancyrensis is a herbaceous perennial geophyte growing from a corm. Plants grow 4 to 6 inches tall. [4] The corms are oval shaped with fibrous reticulated tunics. The small flowers are 1 inch long and 0.5 ince wide are orange-yellow with orange-red stigmas. [5] The flowers have bright yellow throats and typically each corm produce two or three flowers. [4] Each corm has three or four leaves which appear during flowering. [4]
The plant commonly flowers in the months of February to April, and is found growing at 1000–1600 meters in elevation. [3] It commonly grows near rocks, bushes and pines. Its corm, rich in sugar and starch, is edible; it has been a common staple in Anatolia. [6] [7] [8]
Crocus ancyrensis 'Golden Bunch' is a cultivar that was selected for its greater number of flowers than the typical species, with up to ten flowers per corm. It is one of the earliest yellows to bloom. [5] It is winter hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8. [4]