Crocus natural habitats.

[Arda Takan]

 Hello all, I am Arda from Turkey. I found this website on google, while searching for something about bulbous plants and couldn't stop myself to join. Firstly I wanted to thank you for this greatwebsite, is really  amazing.
 I have a special interest for bulbous plants, especially for crocus. Thus I started to look for crocus species to make a collection. But I want it to be gathered from natural species. I have 3 different species so far, which live in Turkey. So my question is which species live in which places so I don't get false hopes to get some species which I can never get. I couldn't find a direct source and thought this place would be a good place to ask.
Thanks .

[mark smyth]

hi Arda welcome to the forum. We have a few Crocus experts in here who will answer your questions

[Gerry Webster]

Hello Arda, welcome to the Forum.
For Turkish plants, the book "The Bulbous Plants of Turkey" by Turhan Baytop & Brian Mathew would  be useful. Baytop was professor at the University of Istanbul but I don't know whether the book was ever published in Turkish; the English language edition  has a summary in Turkish at the back. The standard work on crocus is "The Crocus" by Brian Mathew but this has been out of print for a long time & is very expensive to buy. There is also "Flora of Turkey" but you would need a good library for this. Good luck!

[Arda Takan]

Thanks for your reply and welcome
Well I was thinking of a small list-like thing not a very comprehensive book. I know the book will be very useful tough. At least according to your knowledge&experience can you make a guess how many species live in turkish flora?

[Gerry Webster]

Arda - according to Baytop & Mathew, about 30 species of crocus are native to Turkey. Ibrahim, a forumist who lives in Istanbul, should be able to provide local knowledge.

[Arda Takan]

Thanks so much!

[Tony Willis]

Arda

you live in a great area for crocus species. Both Ulu Dag and Bolu(Lake Abant) are within easy reach and each has several species which are easy to find.

Ulu dag has both Crocus chrysanthus and C. biflorus in great numbers on the way up and at the top in the ski area are masses of C. gargaricus.

Around Lake abant are  C biflorus, abantensis and ancyrensis.

In your immeadiate area is C. danfordiae which grows on the limestone outside Kutahya

[Arda Takan]

Thanks sir, Kütahya is really close to my hometown 1hour distance. Others are further but I will force my sources and reach those beauties I hope
Thanks again for all your replies^^

[Armin]

A warm welcome Arda -
This is the best forum. 

[Arda Takan]

Absolutely it is.