Crocus cambessedesii J. Gay

Family: IRIDACEAE

Genus: Crocus

Sinònims: Crocus minimus DC. subsp. cambessedesii (Gay) O. Bolòs, Molin. et P. Monts

Catalan common name: Safrà bord.

Province distribution: Balearic Islands.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Dragonera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean (Balearic)

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Geophyte.

Habitats: Xero-acanthic shrubs of the mountanous regions, and steppe-grasslands of Ampelodesmos mauritanica. Rocky coastlines. Rock crevices and cliff faces. Costal areas. Rocky crevises.

Characteristics: Wild saffron is easily identifiable just by its leaves because they are very long and narrow, they are very dark green but have a whitish line running from top to bottom. The flowers bloom at the end of autumn at the same time as the yearly leaves grow; these flowers, one to each plant, are white but lined with violet stripes on the side outside the tepals. This is an endemism of Mallorca and Menorca which preferentially lives in the cracks between rocks in coastal and mountain areas.