Editing Colchicum (section)

==Common names==
The common names '''autumn crocus, meadow saffron''' and '''naked lady''' may be applied to the whole genus or to many of its species; they refer to the "naked" [[crocus]]-like flowers that appear in late summer or autumn, long before the strap-like foliage which appears in spring.{{cn|date=April 2025}}

''Colchicum'' and ''Crocus'' look alike and can be confused by the casual observer. To add to the confusion, there are autumn-flowering species of crocus. However, colchicums have 3 styles and 6 [[stamen]]s, while crocuses have 1 style supporting 3 long stigmas and 3 stamens.<ref>A Handbook of ''Crocus'' and ''Colchicum'' for Gardeners, page 154</ref> In addition, the [[corm]] structures are quite different—in ''Colchicum'', the corm is irregular, while in crocuses, the corm is like a flattened ball.<ref>A Handbook of Crocus and Colchicum for Gardeners, page 20, elsewhere</ref> ''[[Crocus]]'' is in the iris [[Family (biology)|family]], [[Iridaceae]].