Crocus- and others, in Turkey, Spring 2011

[Janis Ruksans]

 Janis your C. burtii is not correct It looks to me as a Merendera attica or Colchicum atticum.
C. burtii is samething like C. triphyllum but the corms is not membranous!

Thanks for correction, Ibrahim. I'm not so keen in Colchicums and in this case I wrote the names given to me by others, who informed me this spot where 2 Colchicums and 2 Crocuses grow side by side.
Now the last entry from this short trip. Although there was some sunny break in clouds just when I was at Crocus olivieri-chrysanthus spot, all around was covered by black clouds. Going up to mountain pass started rain, then snowing and on other side of ridge all was covered with 10 cm of snow and road became icy. Regardless of speed only 20 km/h I felt as "duck on ice" and finally was trappen in lower spot of road between two higher points. Resin on rented car's wheels were almost nude - didn't feel it on dry or only wet road, but on ice it was not driveable. Fortunately one truck seeing me on roadside stopped. His wheels were equipped with chains so he took me on rope and helped to leave mountains. It was the last drop... Never more will travel alone. So I took road back to Antalya by main roads, hoping to change flight tickets to home. Weather broadcast offered same weather - rain, snow, low temperature. But by the road I maid few stops at quite unusual for Crocuses spots. I had information about very large flowering form of Crocus antalyensis growing in this district, and for greatest surprise for me I found it regardless of minor rain not stopping almost all the day. Here C. antalyensis was growing in deep grass, under few large oaks. A lot of flowers were damaged by slugs - you can see that on one picture.
I drove back by large main roads which were generally cleaned for snow and very late in night (or very early in morning) I was back in Antalya. Fortunately there still were places on first plain to Istanbul and further to Riga. So for great (and pleasant, I hope) surprise to my wife I returned a week earlier. I hardly noted - in future to check resin on rented car and never to go in mountains alone!
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Just found that I didn't show you picture of Crocus antalyensis growing side by side with Crocus biflorus atrospermus. Note the different pattern of flower outside color. That now is really last entry about this one week long trip.
Janis

[I.S.]

 After so beatifull pictures of Janis I can start to show mine also here. We have been visited nearly same area in a little differenet temperature and in a few different days. I will start with Colchicum burtii This is very close to C. triphyllum but the corm is very distinguish.

[I.S.]

  Here is my second colchicum from this trip.
I think it might be 'Colchicum figlalii' but I am not sure the stamens are white and short. It might be something else! I have to read all descriptons of sipring colchicums with so hard words for me.

[I.S.]

 Here is the one that the Janis missed, from described area. Last year I also spend one day there and I couldn't see but this week I was luckyer than last year. Everywhere covered by yellow and sky blue color.
In the same location there are C. chrysanthus, C. danfordiae yellow, C. danfordia white and C. flavus dissectus.
But my ayes were on this new described C. biflorus subsp. caelestis.
They were between subsp. punctatus and pulchricolor. In color more looks punctatus but in size they were quite big like pulchricolor. Throat was also very interesting exactly lemony. On the biflorus key board says for this white rarely yellowish throat. I would not really agree for this point mine were all with lemony!

[I.S.]

 The another crocus which was in my target for last week ('biflorus Belpınar Dirk' on first picture) I spend lots of time that area there I could find only C. biflorus punctatus and only one yellow C. danfordiae
I believe this is C. biflorus subsp. punctatus (It does not looks like Dirk's one  )

[I.S.]

  Then I have seen another after Elmalı Dam. I think Janis also visited same location. He has seen baytopiorum and crewei. But I couldn't see baytopiorum. Dave has said these were isauricus! Now I am with Dave I will prefer say also isauricus. There were also lightly striped forms but everywhere was cowered with a few cm. snow so could see only these two dark samples more showy to made pics.
And this selected form looks like the Dirk's crocus 'Biflorus Belpınar'

[Janis Ruksans]

 Then I have seen another after Elmalı Dam. I think Janis also visited same location. He has seen baytopiorum and crewei. But I couldn't see baytopiorum. Dave has said these were isauricus! Now I am with Dave I will prefer say also isauricus. There were also lightly striped forms but everywhere was cowered with a few cm. snow so could see only these two dark samples more showy to made pics.
And this selected form looks like the Dirk's crocus 'Biflorus Belpınar'

Judging by dry flowers of my herbarium now I tend to same opinion as Ibrahim - that this is isauricus, only corm tunics seem less hard. I saw only very first flowers, I suppose Ibrahim was there few days  later, as well as in caelestis locality.
Janis

[I.S.]

  Here is my another very interesting one. But his location was realy very bat and I think its life was in danger by lots of goats in area. It seems imposible to incerase in that location. After looking two hours I could see only two plants there was not the thirt one anywhere for check the variations of his family! and this two plants were in deep  bushes where the goats can't reach them

[I.S.]

  Here is my C. chrysantus from South East of  Ushak.
I have seen thousands of these but they were all same.
-dark flower tubes
-village egg's yellow (not bright)
-red style (no one has yellow in two hours walking)
-no one has black lobes

[udo]

The another crocus which was in my target for last week ('biflorus Belpınar Dirk' on first picture) I spend lots of time that area there I could find only C. biflorus punctatus and only one yellow C. danfordiae
I believe this is C. biflorus subsp. punctatus (It does not looks like Dirk's one  )

Very interest Ibrahim. The seed from this Crocus ssp. Belpinar comes from the Crocus Group. Have you also a idea for this Crocus from Göktepe?

[udo]

Here some picures from this weekend,
Cr.dalmaticus
    veluchensis x cvijicii 'Rainbow Gold'
    cvijicii
    aerius in two forms from Soganli

[I.S.]

The another crocus which was in my target for last week ('biflorus Belpınar Dirk' on first picture) I spend lots of time that area there I could find only C. biflorus punctatus and only one yellow C. danfordiae
I believe this is C. biflorus subsp. punctatus (It does not looks like Dirk's one  )

Very interest Ibrahim. The seed from this Crocus ssp. Belpinar comes from the Crocus Group. Have you also a idea for this Crocus from Göktepe?

  Dirk, if your 'biflorus Belpınar' is raised from seed, can not be isauricus nor punctatus! Yes mine isauricus looks like yours but it is blue selection not a sttandart form of its own location!
  The second one need to be something new subsp. close to crewei and caricus. I don't believe that it is not a crewei nor nubigena nor caricus! I have seen this plant last year in Göktebe and this year in another different location but very rich in variations
I will post them lather...

[udo]

The another crocus which was in my target for last week ('biflorus Belpınar Dirk' on first picture) I spend lots of time that area there I could find only C. biflorus punctatus and only one yellow C. danfordiae
I believe this is C. biflorus subsp. punctatus (It does not looks like Dirk's one  )

Very interest Ibrahim. The seed from this Crocus ssp. Belpinar comes from the Crocus Group. Have you also a idea for this Crocus from Göktepe?

  Dirk, if your 'biflorus Belpınar' is raised from seed, can not be isauricus nor punctatus! Yes mine isauricus looks like yours but it is blue selection not a sttandart form of its own location!
  The second one need to be something new subsp. close to crewei and cacicus. I don't believe that it is not a crewei nor nubigena nor caricus! I have seen this plant last year in Göktebe and this year in another different location but very rich in variations
I will post them lather...

Ibrahim,many thanks. I'm strained.

[Janis Ruksans]

 Here is my C. chrysantus from South East of  Ushak.
I have seen thousands of these but they were all same.
-dark flower tubes
-village egg's yellow (not bright)
-red style (no one has yellow in two hours walking)
-no one has black lobes

I saw only one specimen with dark tube near Uschak, but I was exploring hills North of city.
Janis