Spices and Condiments (1+1)

Description of the plant

• Saffron is a low-growing, autumn flowering perennial herb (15-25 cm high) with an underground globular corm about 1 1/4" across. The leaves are numerous, narrowly linear, usually 1-1/2' long after blooming, ciliate, grey-green, with a proper spathe which is 2-valved. The flowers are lilac, reddish-purple or white, the throat is of the same colour, pubescent and fragrant.
• The perianth segments are 1 1/2 - 2" long and obtuse. The anthers are yellow, exceeding the filaments. The style is trifid or tri-lobed stigma, the branches are blood-red, cuneate and toothed drooping or lying on the perianth, much exceeding the stamens and caps were not produced. Saffron is a triploid (2n = 3x = 24). The plant is hysteranthus, with flowers arising directly from the corms.