Authors:
ex Adams. Two subspecies, reticulatus (yellow anthers) and hittiticus (black anthers). Corm tunic coarsely reticulate. Leaves three to five, grey-green, 0.5-1.5mm wide. Flowers 6-7cm high, lilac and variable violet bands and featherings on the outer segments which may have a buff ground colour, the styles divided into three pale or deep orange branches, spring. Widespread from Italy to Caucasus and Turkey, in grassy or rocky slopes sometimes as a snow melt plant, up to 2000m. Subsp. hittiticus only in southern Turkey, in scrub and woodland clearings from 700-1400m. Cultivation is not too difficult under glass but neither subspecies seems sufficiently robust for the open garden.
Crocus Pages: Crocus reticulatus hittiticus
