Jerusalem Autumn Crocus

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Jerusalem Autumn Crocus

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Colchicum hierosolymitanum, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Liliales and the family Colchicaceae. Ultimately, it is placed in the genus Colchicum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific and limited geographical range within the Middle East. Its primary distribution is concentrated across the region of Western Asia. Specifically, it can be found spanning the territories of Lebanon and Syria. Additionally, the species extends its presence into the area of Palestine. These localized habitats define the natural occurrence of this medicinal species.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Colchicum hierosolymitanum is characterized by a specialized survival strategy as a geophyte, categorized under the broader classification of a cryptophyte. This indicates that the plant's vital organs are protected underground for the majority of its life cycle, allowing it to endure unfavorable environmental conditions such as extreme heat or seasonal drought. By sequestering its energy and regenerative tissues within an underground storage organ, the plant can remain dormant during periods of stress and emerge rapidly when favorable conditions arise. As a cryptophyte, its growth pattern is deeply tied to its ability to complete its vegetative and reproductive stages while keeping its primary biomass shielded beneath the soil surface, ensuring long-term persistence in its specific ecological niche.

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Morphology

The morphology of Colchicum hierosolymitanum is characterized by its growth habit and ecological positioning, functioning as a terrestrial organism that occupies various environmental niches. It is strictly a self-supporting plant, lacking any climbing mechanisms such as tendrils or twining stems, and does not exhibit any climber traits. Furthermore, the species is an independent organism, showing no parasitic tendencies towards other flora, and it is fundamentally terrestrial rather than behaving as an epiphyte. While its habitat may occasionally involve varying moisture levels, its primary morphological classification is defined by its ability to thrive in non-aquatic, ground-based environments, distinguishing it from aquatic or semiaquatic specialists.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Parasite :

independent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Colchicum hierosolymitanum has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include colchicine.

colchicine

1. Phytochemical analysis : PCA