Meadow Saffron, colchicum autumnale

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Confusingly known as "Autumn Crocus" by some - it's not a Crocus. The plants are poisonous but apparently not the usual source of Colchicine which is used in biochemical research and is definitely present in the bulbs. Colchicine has been used (and may still be) for the treatment of gout. Nor is this flower the source of Saffron - which comes from Crocus sativus. Common around the mouth of the River Severn (UK) but largely eliminated from agricultural land due to it's poisonous nature for cattle.

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Size: 3400px × 5114px
Location: Velvet Bottom, Mendip, Somerset, UK
Photo credit: © FloralImages / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

Keywords: autumn, autumnale, colchicaceae, colchicine, colchicum, crocus, floralimages, flower, lady, liliaceae, lily, meadow, naked, native, saffron, wild