Colchicum

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Colchicum
Colchicum speciosum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Colchicaceae
Genus: Colchicum
Species

See text.

Colchicum (play /ˈkɒltʃɨkəm/, including Androcymbium, Bulbocodium and Merendera)[1][2][3][4] is a genus of flowering plants containing around 160 species of perennial plants which grow from bulb-like corms. It is a member of family Colchicaceae, and is native to West Asia, Europe, parts of the Mediterranean coast, down the East African coast to South Africa and the Western Cape. In this genus the ovary of the flower is underground. As a consequence, the styles are extremely long in proportion, often more than 10cm.

Colchicum autumnale, commonly called "autumn crocus" or "naked ladies", is the best known species from the temperate regions. It produces purple, pink or white flowers resembling those of the crocus which appear from September to October in its native latitudes. It forms a rosette of dark green leaves, but only after flowering. Several other species, such as C. speciosum, C. album, C. corsicum and C. agrippinum, are grown for their flowers.

Colchicum melanthioides is probably the best known species from the tropical regions. In contrast to most temperate colchicums the flower and leaves are produced at the same time, the white flowers are usually a small corymb which is enclosed by white bracts. Close relatives (such as Colchicum scabromarginatum and Colchicum coloratum) have flowers with very short stalks and might be pollinated by rodents.[5]

Contents

[edit] Cultivation

Temperate colchicums are commonly grown in gardens as an ornamental flower. The large-flowered doubles are the most commonly sold and include cultivars and hybrids such as ‘Waterlily’ (pink), C. autumnale ‘Alboplenum’ (white) and C. autumnale ‘Pleniflorum' (red). Other hybrids include 'Disraeli' (purple white), ‘Violet Queen’ (purple), ‘Dick Trotter’ (violet with white centre), ‘Giant’ (red with white centre; C. speciosum f. giganteum × C. speciosum var. bornmuelleri), ‘Harlekijn’ (white with purple band), ‘Poseidon’ (purple) and ‘Lilac Wonder’ (lilac).

In the UK, the National Collection of Colchicums is maintained at Felbrigg Hall, Norfolk.

[edit] Medicinal uses and poisonous properties

The plant contains the alkaloid colchicine which is used pharmaceutically to treat gout and Familial Mediterranean fever. The use of the roots and seeds in traditional medicine is thought to have arisen due to the presence of this drug.

Its leaves, corm and seeds are poisonous. Murderess Catherine Wilson is thought to have used it to poison a number of victims in the 19th century.


[edit] Species

Hereafter some of the Colchicum species according to the World Checklist:[6]

[edit] Gallery

  • Colchicum alpinum

  • Colchicum antilibanoticum

  • Colchicum arenarium

  • Colchicum autumnale

  • Colchicum bivonae

  • Colchicum bulbocodium

  • Colchicum cilicicum

  • Colchicum feinbruniae

  • Colchicum figlalii

  • Colchicum hierosolymitanum

  • Colchicum hungaricum

  • Colchicum lusitanum

  • Colchicum montanum

  • Colchicum ritchii

  • Colchicum speciosum

  • Colchicum speciosum
    var. bornmuelleri

  • Colchicum stevenii

  • Colchicum szovitsii
    subsp. brachyphyllum

  • Colchicum troodi

  • Colchicum tunicatum

  • Colchicum tuviae

  • Colchicum variegatum

[edit] References

  1. ^ Manning, Forest & Vinnersten (2007) The genus Colchicum L. redefined to include Androcymbium Willd. based on molecular evidence. Taxon 56: 872-882.
  2. ^ Persson (2007) Nomenclatural synopsis of the genus Colchicum (Colchicaceae), with some new species and combinations. Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 127: 165-242.
  3. ^ del Hoyo, García-Marín & Pedrola-Monfort (2009) Temporal and spatial diversification of the African disjunct genus Androcymbium (Colchicaceae). Mol. Phyl. Evol. 53: 848-861.
  4. ^ Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607
  5. ^ Kleizen, Midgley & Johnson (2008) Pollination systems of Colchicum (Colchicaceae) in Southern Africa: evidence for rodent pollination. Ann. Bot. 102: 747-755.
  6. ^ Colchicum in the World Checklist.

[edit] Sources

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