Crocus vernus — Dutch crocus
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Facts
Dutch crocus is native to eastern Europe and western Russia, and is one of the hardiest crocuses, very widely cultivated and available in a wide range of colors and forms. It rarely escapes cultivation in North America, and in New England has been collected only in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Leaf arrangement
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- Leaf blade shape
- the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
- Flower petal color
-
- blue to purple
- white
- Flower petal length
- 40–205 mm
- Petal fusion
- the perianth parts are fused to form a tube, cup, or bell shape
- Inflorescence type
-
- the inflorescence differs from the choices given
- the inflorescence has only one flower on it
- Ovary position
- the ovary is below the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
- Fruit length
- 15–20 mm
-
Clonal plantlets
- Axillary bulblets
- there are no bulblets being produced in axils
-
Flowers
- Anther attachment
- the anther is attached by its base to the filament
- Anther color
- the anthers show no hint of a pink, reddish or purplish tint
- Bulblets replace flowers
- there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
- Carpels fused
- the carpels are fused (the number of carpels equals the number of locules)
- Flower bracts
- there are bracts associated with the flower
- Flower number
- 1–2
- Flower orientation
- the flowers point upward or spread or curve outward
- Flower petal color
-
- blue to purple
- white
- Flower petal length
- 40–205 mm
- Flower shape
- the flower has a funnel-shaped corolla tube
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Flowering stem width
- 0 mm
- Form of style
- the style is branched above the base
- Fringed petal edges
- the petals are not fringed
- Hairs on flower stalk
- NA
- Inflorescence hair glands
- the axis of the inflorescence has no hairs on it
- Inflorescence length
- 40–250 mm
- Inflorescence type
-
- the inflorescence differs from the choices given
- the inflorescence has only one flower on it
- Length of flower stalk
- 0 mm
- Length of peduncle
- 0 mm
- Marks on petals
-
- the petals have spots or streaks on them
- there are no noticeable marks on the petals
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of carpels
- 3
- Number of pistils
- 1
- Number of sepals and/or petals
- there are six petals, sepals or tepals in the flower
- Number of styles
- 1
- Ovary position
- the ovary is below the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Petal and sepal arrangement
- the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
- Petal appearance
- the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
- Petal base
- the petal narrows gradually or does not narrow at the base
- Petal fusion
- the perianth parts are fused to form a tube, cup, or bell shape
- Petal hairs on inner/upper surface
-
- there are hairs on the inner/upper petal surface
- there are no hairs on the inner/upper petal surface
- Sepal appearance
- the sepals resemble petals in color and texture
- Sepal length
- 40–205 mm
- Sepal orientation
- the sepals are pressed against the plant, or jutting stiffly upward
- Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are fused to each other (often along with the petals in monocots), at least near their bases
- Spathe
- the plant does not have a spathe
- Spathe form
- NA
- Spathe length
- 0 mm
- Stamen number
- 3
- Stamen position relative to petals
- the stamens are lined up with the sepals
- Stamens fused
- the stamens are not fused to one another
- Stamens fused outwards
- the stamens are not fused to the petals or tepals
- Style petal-like
- the style is not broad and flattened like a petal
- Tepals
- the petals and sepals are similar in size and color
-
Fruits or seeds
- Berry color
- NA
- Fruit beak length
- 0 mm
- Fruit compartments
- there are three locules in the fruit
- Fruit length
- 15–20 mm
- Fruit stalk orientation
- NA
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
- Other markings on berry
- NA
-
Glands or sap
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
-
Growth form
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Underground organs
- the plant has one or more swollen storage organs underground, such as bulbs, tubers or corms
-
Leaves
- Leaf arrangement
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- Leaf blade basal lobes
- the leaf blades do not have basal lobes
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf blade clasps the stem at the base, or the leaf blade goes all the way around the stem, so that the stem appears to pierce the leaf blade
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- Leaf blade cross-section
-
- the leaf blade is U- or V-shaped
- the leaf blade is more or less flat in cross-section
- Leaf blade faces
- both surfaces of the leaf blade are exposed
- Leaf blade form
- Fully-formed (i.e., expanded), +/- green leaf blades are found somewhere on the plant
- Leaf blade orientation
- the edge of the leaf blade faces the stem of the plant
- Leaf blade shape
- the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- the upper side of the leaf blade has obvious spots, mottles or stripes
- Leaf blade tip
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- Leaf blade veins
- the lateral veins are parallel or slightly arched in the direction of the tip
- Leaf blade width
- 2–8 mm
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Stipule twining
- NA
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Specific habitat
-
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the leaves have no particular smell
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Flowering stem growth form
- NA
- Flowering stem interior
- NA
- Flowering stem leaves
- NA
- Stem hairs
- NA
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
ssp. vernus
- Massachusetts
- not applicable (S-rank: SNA)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Crocus vernus (L.) Hill ssp. vernus E
Dutch crocus. CT, MA. Edges of lawns, fields, roadsides, compost heaps.
Native to North America?
No
Sometimes confused with
- Colchicum autumnale:
- leaf blades lacking a white mid-stripe and flowers with 6 stamens and a superior ovary (vs. C. vernus, with the leaf blades with a prominent white mid-stripe, and flowers with 3 stamens and an inferior ovary).
- Chionodoxa luciliae:
- flowers borne in a raceme, ovary superior, and leaves without a white midstripe (vs. C. vernus, with flowers borne singly at ground level, ovary inferior, and leaves with a white midstripe).