Editing Colchicum

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}}
{{Redirect|Bulbocodium|the daffodil|Narcissus bulbocodium}}
{{Automatic taxobox
|image=Colchicum speciosum000.jpg
|image_caption=''[[Colchicum speciosum]]''
|taxon=Colchicum
|authority=[[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]
|synonyms=
* ''Abandium'' <small>Adans.</small>
* ''Bulbocodium'' <small>L.</small>
* ''Celsia'' <small>Boehm.</small> nom. illeg.
* ''Eudesmis'' <small>Raf.</small> nom. superfl.
* ''Fouha'' <small>Pomel</small>
* ''Geophila'' <small>Bergeret</small> nom. reg.
* ''Hermodactylum'' <small>(R.Br.) Bartl.</small> nom. inval.
* ''Merendera'' <small>Ramond</small>
* ''Monocaryum'' <small>(R.Br.) Rchb.</small>
* ''Paludana'' <small>Salisb.</small> nom. illeg.
* ''Synsiphon'' <small>Regel</small>
|synonyms_ref=<ref>{{cite web |url=http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/synonomy.do?name_id=302745 |title=WCSP |work=World Checklist of Selected Plant Families |accessdate=February 10, 2014}}</ref>
}}

'''''Colchicum''''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|ɒ|l|tʃ|ᵻ|k|əm}} {{respell|KOL|chik|əm}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|ɒ|l|k|ᵻ|k|əm}} {{respell|KOL|kik|əm}})<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/colchicum?r=75&src=ref&ch=dic |title=Colchicum - Define Colchicum at Dictionary.com |work=Dictionary.com}}</ref> is a [[genus]] of [[perennial plant|perennial]] [[flowering plant]]s containing around 160 [[species]] which grow from bulb-like [[corm]]s. It is a member of the botanical [[family (biology)|family]] [[Colchicaceae]], and is [[native plant|native]] to West [[Asia]], [[Europe]], parts of the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] coast, down the [[East Africa]]n coast to [[South Africa]] and the [[Western Cape]]. In this genus, the [[Ovary (botany)|ovary]] of the [[flower]] is underground. As a consequence, the [[Stigma (botany)|styles]] are extremely long in proportion, often more than {{cvt|10|cm|0}}. All species in the genus are toxic.<ref>{{cite book |last=Barceloux |first=Donald G. |date=2008 |title=Medical Toxicology of Natural Substances: Foods, Fungi, Medicinal Herbs, Plants, and Venomous Animals. |publisher=Wiley |pages=693–702 |isbn=978-0471727613}}</ref>

==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]].

==Etymology==
The name of the genus derives from Κολχίς ([[Colchis]]), the [[Ancient Greek]] name for the region of კოლხეთი ([[Kolkhida]]) in modern [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] ([[Caucasus]]). Colchis features in [[Greek mythology]] as the land to which the [[Argonauts]] journeyed in quest of the [[golden fleece]] and where [[Jason]] encountered [[Medea]]. The Greek [[toponym]] ''Colchis'' is thought by scholars to derive from the [[Urartian]] ''Qulḫa'', pronounced "Kolcha" (guttural "ch" - as in Scots ''loch'').<ref>Lordkipanidze, O. (1991). Archeology in Georgia, Weinheim, 110.</ref>

==Relationships==
''[[Colchicum melanthioides]]'', also known as ''Androcymbium melanthioides'',<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-346509 |title=The Plant List |accessdate=27 May 2016}}</ref> is probably the best known species from the [[tropics|tropical]] regions. In contrast to most temperate colchicums, the flower and leaves are produced at the same time, the white flowers usually in a small corymb that is enclosed by white bracts. Close relatives such as ''[[Colchicum scabromarginatum]]'' (''Androcymbium scabromarginatum'') and ''[[Colchicum coloratum]]'' (''Androcymbium burchellii'') have flowers with very short stalks and may be pollinated by [[rodent]]s.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Ciara Kleizen, Jeremy Midgley & Steven D. Johnson |year=2008 |title=Pollination systems of ''Colchicum'' (Colchicaceae) in Southern Africa: evidence for rodent pollination |journal=[[Annals of Botany]] |volume=102 |issue=5 |pages=747–755 |doi=10.1093/aob/mcn157 |pmid=18723860 |pmc=2712380}}</ref>

==Cultivation==
Temperate colchicums are commonly grown in gardens as ornamental flowers. Species found in cultivation include:
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Colchicum × agrippinum|''C.'' × ''agrippinum'']]
* ''[[Colchicum autumnale|C. autumnale]]''
* [[Colchicum × byzantinum|''C.'' × ''byzantinum'']]
* ''[[Colchicum cilicicum|C. cilicicum]]''
* ''[[Colchicum lusitanum|C. lusitanum]]''
* ''[[Colchicum speciosum|C. speciosum]]''
* ''[[Colchicum tenorei|C. tenorei]]''
{{div col end}}

There are also  [[cultivars]] and [[Hybrid (biology)#Hybrid plants|hybrids]] such as:-
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* ''C.'' 'Dick Trotter' (violet with white centre)
* ''C.'' 'Disraeli' (purple white),
* ''C.'' 'Giant' (red with white centre)
* ''C.'' 'Harlekijn' (white with purple band)
* ''C.'' 'Lilac Wonder' (lilac)
* ''C.'' 'Pink Goblet' {{smallcaps|agm}}<ref>{{cite web |title=RHS Plant Selector - ''Colchicum'' 'Pink Goblet' |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/45210/Colchicum-Pink-Goblet/Details |accessdate=15 April 2020}}</ref> (violet-purple)
* ''C.'' 'Poseidon' (purple)
* ''C.'' 'Rosy Dawn' {{smallcaps|agm}}<ref>{{cite web |title=RHS Plant Selector - ''Colchicum'' 'Rosy Dawn' |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/95960/Colchicum-Rosy-Dawn/Details |accessdate=15 April 2020}}</ref> (rose pink)
* ''C.'' 'Violet Queen' (purple)
* ''C.'' 'Waterlily' {{smallcaps|agm}}<ref>{{cite web |title=RHS Plant Selector - ''Colchicum'' 'Waterlily' |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/89869/Colchicum-Waterlily-(d)/Details |accessdate=15 April 2020}}</ref> (double, lilac-pink)
{{div col end}}

Those marked {{smallcaps|agm}} have gained the [[Royal Horticultural Society]]'s [[Award of Garden Merit]] (confirmed 2017).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf |title=AGM Plants - Ornamental |date=July 2017 |page=22 |publisher=Royal Horticultural Society |accessdate=24 January 2018}}</ref>

In the United Kingdom, the [[NCCPG National Plant Collection|National Collection]] of colchicums is maintained at [[Felbrigg Hall]], [[Norfolk]].

==Medicinal uses and poisonous properties==
Plants in this genus contain toxic amounts of the [[alkaloid]] [[colchicine]] which is used pharmaceutically to treat [[gout]] and [[Familial Mediterranean fever]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Amrollahi-Sharifabadi |first1=Mohammad |last2=Seghatoleslami |first2=Ahmad |last3=Amrollahi-Sharifabadi |first3=Maryam |last4=Bayani |first4=Farajali |last5=Mirjalili |first5=Mahdi |title=Fatal Colchicine Poisoning by Accidental Ingestion of Colchicum persicum: A Case Report |journal=American Journal of Forensic Medicine & Pathology |date=December 2013 |volume=34 |issue=4 |pages=295–298 |doi=10.1097/PAF.0000000000000059 |pmid=24196723 |s2cid=12811749 }}</ref> The use of the [[root]]s and seeds in traditional medicine is thought to have arisen due to the presence of this drug.<ref>{{cite book |last=Stuart |first=M. |date=1979 |title=The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism |publisher=Orbis Publishing London |isbn=0-85613-067-2}}</ref>

Its [[leaf|leaves]], [[corm]] and [[seed]]s are [[poison]]ous. Murderer [[Catherine Wilson]] is thought to have used it to poison a number of victims in the 19th century. The species known to contain the most lethal amount of colchicine is ''[[Colchicum autumnale|C. autumnale]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Huxley |first=A. |date=1992 |title=The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. |publisher=MacMillan Press |isbn=0-333-47494-5}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Frohne and Pfänder |date=1984 |title=Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. |publisher=Wolfe |isbn=0723408394}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Stary |first=F. |date=1983 |title=Poisonous Plants. |publisher=Hamlyn |isbn=0-600-35666-3}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Altmann. |first=H. |date=1980 |title=Poisonous Plants and Animals. |publisher=Chatto and Windus |isbn=0-7011-2526-8 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/poisonousplantsa0000altm}}</ref>

==Species==
The following are the species included in the genus ''Colchicum''.<ref name=TPL>{{cite web |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/search?q=colchicum |title=Search results — The Plant List |work=theplantlist.org}}</ref> Many species previously classified in ''Androcymbium'', ''Bulbocodium'' and ''Merendera'' were moved to ''Colchicum'' based on [[molecular genetics|molecular genetic]] evidence.<ref>{{cite journal |author=John Manning, Felix Forest and Annika Vinnersten |year=2007 |title=The genus ''Colchicum'' L. redefined to include ''Androcymbium'' Willd. based on molecular evidence |journal=[[Taxon (journal)|Taxon]] |volume=56 |issue=3 |pages=872–882 |doi=10.2307/25065868 |jstor=25065868|bibcode=2007Taxon..56..872M }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Karin Persson |year=2007 |title=Nomenclatural synopsis of the genus ''Colchicum'' (Colchicaceae), with some new species and combinations |journal=[[Botanische Jahrbücher]] |volume=127 |issue=2 |pages=165–242 |doi=10.1127/0006-8152/2007/0127-0165}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Alberto del Hoyo, José Luis García-Marín & Joan Pedrola-Monfort |year=2009 |title=Temporal and spatial diversification of the African disjunct genus ''Androcymbium'' (Colchicaceae) |journal=[[Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution]] |volume=53 |issue=3 |pages=848–861 |pmid=19699811 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2009.08.005}}</ref><ref>''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607</ref> ''[[Androcymbium]]'' is currently considered a separate genus by some.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/synonomy.do?name_id=299036 |title=WCSP |work=World Checklist of Selected Plant Families |accessdate=February 10, 2014}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=21em}}
* [[Colchicum × agrippinum|''Colchicum'' × ''agrippinum'']] (probably a [[Hybrid (biology)#Hybrid plants|hybrid]] of garden origin)
* ''[[Colchicum alpinum]]'' <small>DC. in J.B.A.M.de Lamarck & A.P.de Candolle</small>
* ''[[Colchicum androcymbioides]]'' <small>(Valdés) K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum antepense]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum antilibanoticum]]'' <small>Gomb.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum arenarium]]'' <small>Waldst. & Kit.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum arenasii]]'' <small>Fridl.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum asteranthum]]'' <small>Vassiliades & K.M.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum atropurpureum]]'' <small>Stapf ex Stearn</small> (unresolved name)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-302769 |title=Colchicum atropurpureum Stapf ex Stearn — The Plant List |website=www.theplantlist.org |access-date=2018-12-20}}</ref>
* ''[[Colchicum atticum]]'' <small>Spruner ex Tommas.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum autumnale]]'' <small>L.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum balansae]]'' <small>Planch.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum baytopiorum]]'' <small>C.D.Brickell</small>
* ''[[Colchicum bivonae]]'' <small>Guss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum boissieri]]'' <small>Orph.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum bulbocodium]]'' <small>Ker Gawl.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum burttii]]'' <small>Meikle</small>
* [[Colchicum × byzantinum|''Colchicum'' × ''byzantinum'']] <small>Ker Gawl.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum chalcedonicum]]'' <small>Azn.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum chimonanthum]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum chlorobasis]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum cilicicum]]'' <small>(Boiss.) Dammer</small>
* ''[[Colchicum confusum]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum corsicum]]'' <small>Baker</small>
* ''[[Colchicum cretense]]'' <small>Greuter</small>
* ''[[Colchicum crocifolium]]'' <small>Boiss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum cupanii]]'' <small>Guss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum davisii]]'' <small>C.D.Brickell</small>
* ''[[Colchicum decaisnei]]'' <small>Boiss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum doerfleri]]'' <small>Halácsy</small>
* ''[[Colchicum dolichantherum]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum eichleri]]'' <small>(Regel) K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum euboeum]]'' <small>(Boiss.) K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum fasciculare]]'' <small>(L.) R.Br.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum feinbruniae]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum figlalii]]'' <small>(Varol) Parolly & Eren</small>
* ''[[Colchicum filifolium]]'' <small>(Cambess.) Stef.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum freynii]]'' <small>Bornm.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum gonarei]]'' <small>Camarda</small>
* ''[[Colchicum graecum]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum greuteri]]'' <small>(Gabrieljan) K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum haynaldii]]'' <small>Heuff.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum heldreichii]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum hierosolymitanum]]'' <small>Feinbrun</small>
* ''[[Colchicum hirsutum]]'' <small>Stef.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum hungaricum]]'' <small>Janka</small>
* ''[[Colchicum ignescens]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum imperatoris-friderici]]'' <small>Siehe ex K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum inundatum]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum kesselringii]]'' <small>Regel</small>
* ''[[Colchicum kotschyi]]'' <small>Boiss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum kurdicum]]'' <small>(Bornm.) Stef.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum laetum]]'' <small>Steven</small>
* ''[[Colchicum lagotum]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum leptanthum]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum lingulatum]]'' <small>Boiss. & Spruner in P.E.Boissier</small>
* ''[[Colchicum longifolium]]'' <small>Castagne</small>
* ''[[Colchicum lusitanum]]'' <small>Brot.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum luteum]]'' <small>Baker</small>
* ''[[Colchicum macedonicum]]'' <small>Kosanin</small>
* ''[[Colchicum macrophyllum]]'' <small>B.L.Burtt</small>
* ''[[Colchicum manissadjianii]]'' <small>(Azn.) K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum micaceum]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum micranthum]]'' <small>Boiss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum minutum]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum mirzoevae]]'' <small>(Gabrieljan) K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum montanum]]'' <small>L.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum multiflorum]]'' <small>Brot.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum munzurense]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum nanum]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum neapolitanum]]'' <small>(Ten.) Ten.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum parlatoris]]'' <small>Orph.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum parnassicum]]'' <small>Sart., Orph. & Heldr. in P.E.Boissier</small>
* ''[[Colchicum paschei]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum peloponnesiacum]]'' <small>Rech.f. & P.H.Davis</small>
* ''[[Colchicum persicum]]'' <small>Baker</small>
* ''[[Colchicum polyphyllum]]'' <small>Boiss. & Heldr. in P.E.Boissier</small>
* ''[[Colchicum pulchellum]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum pusillum]]'' <small>Sieber</small>
* ''[[Colchicum raddeanum]]'' <small>(Regel) K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum rausii]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum ritchii]]'' <small>R.Br.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum robustum]]'' <small>(Bunge) Stef.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum sanguicolle]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum schimperi]]'' <small>Janka ex Stef.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum serpentinum]]'' <small>Woronow ex Miscz.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum sfikasianum]]'' <small>Kit Tan & Iatroú</small>
* ''[[Colchicum sieheanum]]'' <small>Hausskn. ex Stef.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum soboliferum]]'' <small>(C.A.Mey.) Stef.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum speciosum]]'' <small>Steven</small>
* ''[[Colchicum stevenii]]'' <small>Kunth</small>
* ''[[Colchicum szovitsii]]'' <small>Fisch. & C.A.Mey.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum trigynum]]'' <small>(Steven ex Adam) Stearn</small>
* ''[[Colchicum triphyllum]]'' <small>Kunze</small>
* ''[[Colchicum troodi]]'' <small>Kotschy in F.Unger & C.G.T.Kotschy</small>
* ''[[Colchicum tunicatum]]'' <small>Feinbrun</small>
* ''[[Colchicum turcicum]]'' <small>Janka</small>
* ''[[Colchicum tuviae]]'' <small>Feinbrun</small>
* ''[[Colchicum umbrosum]]'' <small>Steven</small>
* ''[[Colchicum varians]]'' <small>(Freyn & Bornm.) Dyer in B.D.Jackson</small>
* ''[[Colchicum variegatum]]'' <small>L.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum wendelboi]]'' <small>K.Perss.</small>
* ''[[Colchicum woronowii]]'' <small>Bokeriya</small>
* ''[[Colchicum zahnii]]'' <small>Heldr.</small>
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist|32em}}

==Sources==
* Suite 101. Plants and Bulbs: Hardy Fall-Blooming Bulbs for Your Garden
* [https://www.veseys.com/ca/en/learn/guide/bulbinfo/colchicumf Veseys: Information for gardeners]
* A Handbook of Crocus and Colchicum for Gardeners, Bowles, E. A., D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc., 1952
* The European Garden Flora: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass, Volume 1, Walters, S. M., et al., editors, Cambridge University Press, 1984

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[[Category:Colchicum| ]]
[[Category:Colchicaceae genera]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]