Botany of Crocus ancyrensis through domestication

Abstract

Crocus ancyrensis (Herbert) Maw is an endemic species and widely distributed in the Central Anatolia and the Western Black Sea region of Turkey. The species is under threat of heavy grazing, uncontrolled gathering, recreational pressure and many different kinds of land disturbances. The aim of this study is to examine the phenology, morphology and seed formation of this species in its natural habitat in Kastamonu area. The observation and the measurements have been made at three locations. C. ancyrensis is a yellow colored spring flowering species. Leaf initiation starts in just a couple of days before or with flowering. Flowering time is between the second half of February and the first half of March. The lifespan of the flower is about 15 days depending on climate. The capsule can be seen in mid April above the soil and seed maturation is at the end of May which is about 45 days after flower disappearance. The leaves dry and disappear in July. On the average, each capsule has 30 seeds and the one thousand seed weight is 3,52 g. The seed requires 10°C±2°C and 70% relative humidity for germination. As a result, there is a possibility to domesticate this species from its seeds in order to conserve or to make mass agricultural production for its further uses.