List of Crocus species

This list of Crocus species shows the accepted species names within the genus Crocus, which are predominantly spring perennial plants in the Iridaceae (iris) family. The list of species is arranged by section. Estimates of the number of species in Crocus have varied widely, from anywhere between 80 and 160, even in the modern era.

Crocus
Crocus sativus with closed petals
Crocus sativus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Iridaceae
Subfamily: Crocoideae
Tribe: Ixieae
Genus: Crocus
L.[1]
Type species
Crocus sativus
Sections
  • Crocus
  • Nudiscapus
Synonyms[2]
  • Safran Medik.
  • Geanthus Raf.
  • Crociris Schur

Carl Linnaeus originally included two species in 1753,[1] but new species continue to be identified. The deep phylogenetic infrageneric relationships remain unresolved. When subjected to molecular phylogenetic analysis, the sections are well supported but only some of the series. Ongoing, more detailed examination of the various series is leading to a recircumscription, with increasing monophyly. Species segregate to form a basal polytomy of four subclades (A–D). The first clade (A) corresponding to section Crocus, but including C. sieberi and several closely related species (originally included in section Nudiscapus series Reticulati). The remaining three clades (B-D) include all the remaining species of section Nudiscapus. Of these, B and C are small, corresponding to series Orientales and Carpetani respectively, with all remaining series in the large D clade.

Sections, series and species

Classification of Brian Mathew (1982), amended 2009[3] and including more recent additions. Series marked with * indicate those known to be monophyletic.[4]

Section Crocus B.Mathew (Clade A)

Species with a basal prophyll. Type species C. sativus L.

*Series Verni B.Mathew
Flowers of Crocus vernus
Crocus vernus
  • Type species C. vernus (L.) Hill:[5] corms with reticulated fibers, spring-flowering (apart from Crocus longiflorus), flowers for the most part without conspicuous outer striping, bracts absent

*Series Baytopi B.Mathew
Flower of Crocus baytopiorum
Crocus baytopiorum
  • (new Series)[3] Type species Crocus baytopiorum: corms with strongly reticulated fibers; leaves numerous, narrowly linear; spring-flowering, bracts absent; anthers extrorsely dehiscent

*Series Scardici B.Mathew
Flowers of Crocus scardicus
Crocus scardicus
  • Type species Crocus scardicus: spring-flowering, leaves have no pale stripe on the upper surface

Series Versicolores B.Mathew
Flowers of Crocus versicolor
Crocus versicolor
  • Type species Crocus versicolor: : spring-flowering, corms with tunics, which for the most part have parallel fibers, flowers with conspicuous exterior striping

*Series Kotschyani B.Mathew
Flowers of Crocus kotschyanus
Crocus kotschyanus
  • Type species Crocus kotschyanus: : autumn-flowering, anthers white, styles for the most part three-forked

*Series Crocus[lower-alpha 1]
Crocus sativus (Section Crocus, Series Crocus)
  • Type species Crocus sativus: autumn-flowering, anthers yellow, style distinctly three-branched

Position unclear
Crocus ligusticus (Section Crocus, Series Longiflori)
  • Following 2009 revision of Mathew 1982.[3]
  • Former Series Longiflori B.Mathew Type species C. longiflorus Raf.:[5] autumn-flowering, yellow anthers, styles much divided – now unplaced, and type species moved to series Verni[4]
Crocus sieberi aggregate[lower-alpha 2]

Section Nudiscapus B.Mathew

Species without a basal prophyll. Type species C. reticulatus Stev. ex Adams

*Series Orientales B.Mathew (Clade B)
Flowers of Crocus korolkowii
Crocus korolkowii
  • Type species Crocus korolkowii: Corm with parallel fibers or lightly reticulated, numerous leaves, spring-flowering, style three-forked

*Series Carpetani B.Mathew (Clade C)
Flowers of Crocus carpetanus
Crocus carpetanus
  • Type species Crocus carpetanus: Undersurface of the leaves rounded with grooves, upper surface channeled, spring-flowering, style whitish, obscurely divided

*Series Reticulati B.Mathew (Clade D)
Flowers of Crocus reticulatus
Crocus reticulatus
  • Type species Crocus reticulatus: Spring-flowering, a bracteole, trifid styles, and reticulate corm tunics (Series Reticulati s.s. Harpke et al.)[9][lower-alpha 4]
Series Reticulati s.s.
  • Crocus ancyrensis (Herb.) Maw syn. Crocus reticulatus var. ancyrensis Herb.[9] – Ankara crocus
  • Crocus angustifolius Weston[9] – cloth-of-gold crocus
  • Crocus danubensis Kerndorff, Pasche, N.Randjelovic & V.Randjelovic[9]
  • Crocus filis-maculatis Kerndorff & Pasche[9]
  • Crocus micranthus Boiss.[9]
  • Crocus orphei Karamplianis & Constantin.[9]
  • Crocus reticulatus Steven ex Weber & Mohr[9]
  • Crocus variegatus Hoppe & Hornsch.[9]
Former members of Series Reticulati s.l. (unplaced)[lower-alpha 5]
  • Crocus abantensis T.Baytop & B.Mathew
  • Crocus cancellatus Herb.
    • Crocus cancellatus subsp. cancellatus
    • Crocus cancellatus subsp. damascenus (Herb.) B.Mathew
    • Crocus cancellatus subsp. lycius B.Mathew
    • Crocus cancellatus subsp. mazziaricus (Herb.) B.Mathew
    • Crocus cancellatus subsp. pamphylicus B.Mathew
  • Crocus gargaricus Herb.
  • Crocus herbertii B. athew[3]
  • Crocus hermoneus Kotschy ex Maw
  • Crocus hittiticus T.Baytop & B.Mathew syn. Crocus reticulatus subsp. hittiticus (T.Baytop & B.Mathew) B.Mathew[9]
  • Crocus sieheanus Barr ex B.L. Burtt

Series Biflori B.Mathew (Clade D)
Flowers of Crocus biflorus
Crocus biflorus
  • Type species Crocus biflorus: Tunics of corms split into rings at the base, either entire or with toothlike projections, leathery in texture, spring- or late-winter flowering, style three-forked
  • Crocus adamii Gay syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. adamii (J.Gay) Mathew[10][11]
  • Crocus aerius Herb.[10]
  • Crocus albocoronatus (Kernd.) Kernd., Pasche & Harpke syn. C. biflorus subsp. albocoronatus Kerndorff[10]
  • Crocus alexandri Nicic ex Velen. syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. alexandri (Nicic ex Velen.) B.Mathew[10]
  • Crocus almehensis C.D. Brickell & B. Mathew
  • Crocus artvinensis (J.Philippow) Gossheim syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. artvinensis (J.Philippow) B.Mathew[10]
  • Crocus bifloriformis Kernd. & Pasche syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. biflorus B.Mathew[12][11]
  • Crocus biflorus Mill. – silvery crocus, Scotch crocus[lower-alpha 6]
  • Crocus caelestis (Kernd.) Kernd., Pasche & Harpke syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. caelestis Kernd. & Pasche[10]
  • Crocus chrysanthus Herb. – Golden crocus, Snow crocus
    • Crocus chrysanthus subsp. chrysanthus
    • Crocus chrysanthus subsp. multifolius Papan. & Zacharof
  • Crocus crewei Hooker syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. crewei (Hook.f.) B.Mathew[10]
  • Crocus cyprius Boiss. & Kotschy
  • Crocus danfordiae Maw
    • Crocus danfordiae subsp. danfordiae
    • Crocus danfordiae subsp. kurdistanicus Maroofi & Assadi
  • Crocus fibroannulatus (Kernd.) Kernd., Pasche & Harpke syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. fibroannulatus Kernd. & Pasche[10]
  • Crocus hartmannianus Holmboe
  • Crocus ionopharynx (Kernd.) Kernd., Pasche & Harpke syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. ionopharynx Kernd. & Pasche[10]
  • Crocus kerndorffiorum Pasche (1993)
  • Crocus leichtlinii (Dewar) Bowles
  • Crocus leucostylosus (Kernd.) Kernd., Pasche & Harpke syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. leucostylosus Kernd. & Pasche[10]
  • Crocus melantherus (Kernd.) Kernd., Pasche & Harpke syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. melantherus B.Mathew[10]
  • Crocus nerimaniae Yüzbasioglu & Varol (2004)
  • Crocus nubigena Herbert syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. nubigena (Herb.) B.Mathew[10]
  • Crocus pestalozzae Boiss.
  • Crocus pseudonubigena (B.Mathew) Kernd., Pasche & Harpke syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. pseudonubigena B.Mathew[10]
  • Crocus pulchricolor Herb. ex Tchichatscheff syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. pulchricolor (Herb. ex Tchich.) B.Mathew[10]
  • Crocus punctatus (Kernd.) Kernd., Pasche & Harpke syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. punctatus B.Mathew[10]
  • Crocus stridii Papanicolau & Zacharof syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. stridii (Papan. & Zacharof) B.Mathew[13][10]
  • Crocus tauri Maw syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. tauri (Maw) B.Mathew[10]
  • Crocus wattiorum (B.Mathew) B.Mathew syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. wattiorum B.Mathew[10]
  • Crocus weldenii Hoppe & Fuernrohr syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. weldenii (Hoppe & Fuernr.) B.Mathew[10]
  • Crocus demirizianus O.Erol & L.Can (2012)
  • Crocus yakarianus Yıldırım & O.Erol (2013)
  • Crocus yataganensis (Kernd.) Kernd., Pasche & Harpke syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. yataganensis Kernd. & Pasche[10]
*Series Lyciotauri Kerndorff & Pasche (Clade D)(new)[14]
  • Type species Crocus lyciotauricus: Outer corm tunics coriaceous or co-riaceous to membranous
  • Crocus atrospermus (Kernd. & Pasche) Kernd. & Pasche syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. atrospermus Kernd. & Pasche[10]
  • Crocus akdagensis Kerndorff & Pasche[14]
  • Crocus akkayaensis Kerndorff & Pasche[14]
  • Crocus beydaglarensis Kerndorff & Pasche[15]
  • Crocus bowlesianus Kerndorff & Pasche[14]
  • Crocus calanthus Kerndorff & Pasche[15]
  • Crocus katrancensis Kerndorff & Pasche[14]
  • Crocus lyciotauricus Kerndorff & Pasche[15]
  • Crocus oreogenus Kerndorff & Pasche[15]
  • Crocus salurdagensis Kerndorff & Pasche[14]
  • Crocus xanthosus Kerndorff & Pasche[14]
  • Crocus ziyaretensis Kerndorff & Pasche[15]

*Series Isauri Kerndorff & Pasche (Clade D)
Flower of Crocus tauricus
Crocus tauricus
  • Crocus abracteolus
  • Crocus antherotes
  • Crocus caricus (Kernd.) Kernd., Pasche & Harpke syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. caricus Kernd. & Pasche[10]
  • Crocus concinnus Kerndorff & Pasche [16]
  • Crocus fauseri
  • Crocus isauricus Kerndorff & Pasche (ex Bowles) syn. Crocus biflorus subsp. isauricus (Siehe ex Bowles) B.Mathew[16][10]
  • Crocus karamanensis
  • Crocus mawii
  • Crocus mersinensis
  • Crocus rechingeri Kerndorff & Pasche [16]
  • Crocus taseliensis
  • Crocus tauricus

*Series Speciosi B.Mathew (Clade D)
Flowers of Crocus speciosus
Crocus speciosus
  • Type species Crocus speciosus: Corm tunic splits into rings at the base, leathery or membranous, foliage after the flowers, autumn-flowering, style much divided
  • Crocus pulchellus Herb. – hairy crocus
  • Crocus speciosus M. Bieb. – Bieberstein's crocus, large purple crocus
    • Crocus speciosus subsp. ilgazensis B.Mathew
    • Crocus speciosus subsp. speciosus
    • Crocus speciosus subsp. xantholaimos B.Mathew

Series Flavi B.Mathew (Clade D)
Flowers of Crocus flavus)
Crocus flavus
  • Type species Crocus flavus: Tunics of the corms membranous, split into parallel fibers, spring-flowering, styles much divided
  • Crocus adanensis T. Baytop & B. Mathew (formerly in Series Biflori)
  • Crocus antalyensis Mathew
    • Crocus antalyensis subsp. antalyensis
    • Crocus antalyensis subsp. striatus O.Erol & M.Koçyiğit (2010)
    • Crocus antalyensis subsp. gemicii L.Sik & O.Erol (2011)
  • Crocus candidus E.D. Clarke
  • Crocus flavus Weston – Yellow crocus
    • Crocus flavus subsp. flavus
    • Crocus flavus subsp. dissectus T.Baytop & B.Mathew
    • Crocus flavus subsp. sarichinarensis Rukšans
  • Crocus graveolens Boiss. &Reut.
  • Crocus hyemalis Boiss.
  • Crocus olivieri Gray
    • Crocus olivieri subsp. olivieri – Balkan and Turkey
    • Crocus olivieri subsp. balansae (J.Gay ex Baker) B. Mathew – endemic round İzmir, West-Turkey
    • Crocus olivieri subsp. istanbulensis B. Mathew, Istanbul, Turkey.
  • Crocus paschei H. Kerndorff
  • Crocus vitellinus Wahl.

*Series Aleppici B.Mathew (Clade D)
Flowers of Crocus aleppicus
Crocus aleppicus
  • Type species Crocus aleppicus: Tunics of the corms membranous, with split, parallel fibers, foliage produced at the same time as the flowers, fall- or winter-flowering

Series Intertexti B.Mathew (Clade D)
Flowersof Crocus fleischeri
Crocus fleischeri
  • Type species Crocus fleischeri: Corm tunic fibrous with fibers interwoven, spring-flowering

*Series Laevigatae B.Mathew (Clade D)
Flowers of Crocus laevigatus
Crocus laevigatus
  • Type species Crocus laevigatus Corm tunic membranous or splitting into parallel fibers, sometimes leathery, foliage produced at the same time as flowers, autumn-flowering, anthers white, style much divided

Notes
  1. Autonym
  2. Closely related species, which have been proposed as a new series Sieberi
  3. C. sieberi originally considered to belong to section Nudiscpapus on the basis of lack of a prophyll, clearly segregates with the species in section Crocus (Clade A)[4]
  4. Series Reticulati s.l. were previously characterised as – Corm tunic for the most part decidedly covered with reticulated fibers, flower produced in winter or spring, style three-forked or much divided
  5. Species belonging to the Crocus sieberi aggregate, are now recognised as belonging in section Crocus
  6. C. biflorus was originally considered to have multiple subspecies by Mathew, but subsequently demonstrated to consist of many separate species[4][10]
  7. Crocus isauricus and relatives, formerly series Biflori

References
  1. Linnaeus 1753.
  2. WCLSPF 2022.
  3. Mathew et al 2009.
  4. Harpke et al 2013.
  5. Harpke et al 2015.
  6. Raca et al 2020.
  7. Peruzzi et al 2011.
  8. Miljkovic et al 2016.
  9. Harpke et al 2014.
  10. Harpke et al 2016.
  11. Harpke et al 2017.
  12. Kerndorff et al 2012.
  13. Papanicolaou & Zacharof 1980.
  14. Kerndorff et al 2015a.
  15. Kerndorff et al 2013.
  16. Kerndorff et al 2014.

Bibliography
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