Inventory and Characterization of three Species of the Genus Crocus of the family Iridaceae in the Province of Damascus Countryside – Syria.

Abstract

Field tours in 8 regions (Al-Marah - Qara - Al-Sarukhiyya - Rankous - Jabadin - Wadi Askar (Al-Rawdah) - Sasa'a - Ain Hour) in Rif Dimashq governorate during the months of October and November 2019 and 2020 and the taxonomic study of the genus Crocus in Rif Dimashq governorate confirmed the presence of three species They belong to this genus:

Crocus cancellatus, Crocus damascenus, Crocus aleppicus

  In the modern Syrian flora, as it was not mentioned except in the ancient Syrian flora, and a distinction was made between the species based on the study of the morphological characteristics of the plant, including (indicators of flowers, leaves, corms, and even fruits). The leaves are 4 leaves, the average length of the stigma is 1.2 cm, the fruit is an oval box, the average length is 1.8 cm, violet in color with purple stripes, the average number of seeds is 13.3 seeds, and the average weight of 100 seeds is 0.813 g. The color of the seed is reddish-brown.

Damascene saffron is a perennial herbaceous plant, the average leaf length is 8 cm, and the average number of leaves is 4 leaves, of medium color, the length of the stigma is 3.7 cm, the fruit is an elongated, papery box of texture, average length of 2.8 cm. 16 seeds, average seed weight 0.8910 g, seed color reddish brown.

Aleppo saffron is a perennial herbaceous plant with an average stigma length of 2 cm. The fruit is absent. The Aleppo saffron has a short life cycle of 2-3 weeks. It is not seed-producing.