Editing Crocus (section)

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants in the family Iridaceae}}
{{About|the genus of flowers|the myth of the youth Crocus who was turned into a crocus|Crocus (mythology)|other uses}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = 860808-Saffronfarm-01-IMG 7707-2.jpg
| image_caption = ''[[Crocus sativus]]''
| image_alt = Crocus sativus growing on a saffron farm in Iran
| display_parents = 2
| taxon = Crocus
| authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]
| type_species = ''[[Crocus sativus]]''
| type_species_authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = [[Section (botany)|Sections]]
| subdivision = 
* ''Crocus''
* ''Nudiscapus''
| synonyms_ref = {{sfn|WCLSPF|2022}}
| synonyms = 
*''Safran'' <small>Medik.</small>
*''Geanthus'' <small>Raf.</small>
*''Crociris'' <small>Schur</small>
}}

'''''Crocus''''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|r|oʊ|k|ə|s}}; plural: crocuses or croci) is a [[genus]] of seasonal [[flowering plant]]s in the family [[Iridaceae]] (iris family) comprising about 100 [[species]] of [[perennial plant|perennials]] growing from [[corm]]s. They are low growing plants, whose flower stems remain underground, that bear relatively large white, yellow, orange or purple flowers and then become dormant after flowering. Many are cultivated for their flowers, appearing in autumn, winter, or spring. The flowers close at night and in overcast weather conditions. The crocus has been known throughout recorded history, mainly as the source of [[saffron]]. Saffron is obtained from the dried [[Stigma (botany)|stigma]] of ''[[Crocus sativus]]'', an autumn-blooming [[species]]. It is valued as a [[spice]] and [[dye]]stuff, and is one of the most expensive spices in the world. Iran is the center of saffron production. Crocuses are [[native plant|native]] to woodland, scrub, and meadows from sea level to [[alpine tundra]] from the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]], through [[North Africa]], central and southern [[Europe]], the islands of the [[Aegean Islands|Aegean]], the [[Middle East]] and across [[Central Asia]] to [[Xinjiang]] in western [[China]]. Crocuses may be propagated from seed or from daughter cormels formed on the corm, that eventually produce mature plants. They arrived in Europe from Turkey in the 16th century and became valued as an [[Ornamental plant|ornamental]] flowering plant.
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