Colchicum haynaldii

Appearance

Leaves (3-) 4-6 (rarely up to 8), hysteranthous, mostly crowded at ground level, up to 24 (-29) X 4 (-5) cm, suberect to erecto-patent, occasionally patent, distally rather long-attenuate with an obtuse apex, channeled or almost flat, keeled, often somewhat twisted-undulate, margins narrowly cartilaginous, glabrous, sometimes hairy in basal part.

Flowers 1-7 (-11), rosy-purple or rosy-lilac to purple, more rarely violet-purple, often rather distinctly fine-tesselleted, with a median white streak, veined by up to 21 (-27) parallel or outwards diverging, often slightly darker nerves, with pronouncedly slanting anastomoses. Tube yellowish-white to white, very often flushed purplish. Tepals up to 6 (-6.5) X 1.6 (-2) cm, mostly very unequal. Filament channels usually hairy. Stamens up to ½ of the tepals length, filaments yellowish-white to white, occasionally flushed purplish, swollen base usually greenish, sometimes yellow. Anthers yellow. Styles equalling to slightly overtopping stamens, whitish, stigmas decurrent.

Distribution

Found at Greece (Mt. Cholomon, Kilkis, Grevena, Kalambaka, Mt Chasia, Mt Vermio, Tirnavos, Mt Olimpos, Karditsa, Trikala, Metsovo, Zagori, Ioannina, Souli, Kerkira, Μt Chelmos).

Habitat

Dolines, meadows, rocky ground among shrubs, openings of forests, on limestone, sometimes on siliceous substrates, often growing with C. autumnale and C. confusum, 0- c. 1500m.