What is "crocus sativus"

Crocus \Cro"cus\ (kr[=o]"k[u^]s), n. [L., saffron, fr. Gr. kro`kos; cf. Heb. kark[=o]m, Ar. kurkum, Skr. ku[.n]kuma.]

1. (Bot.) A genus of iridaceous plants, with pretty blossoms rising separately from the bulb or corm. Crocus vernus is one of the earliest of spring-blooming flowers; Crocus sativus produces the saffron, and blossoms in the autumn.

2. (Chem.) A deep yellow powder; the oxide of some metal calcined to a red or deep yellow color; esp., the oxide of iron ( Crocus of Mars or colcothar) thus produced from salts of iron, and used as a polishing powder.

   Crocus of Venus (Old Chem.), oxide of copper.

Crocin \Cro"cin\ (kr?"s?n), n. [Gr. ???? saffron.] (Chem.)

1. The coloring matter of Chinese yellow pods, the fruit of Gardenia grandiflora.
   --Watts.

2. A red powder (called also polychroite), which is made from the saffron ( Crocus sativus). See Polychroite.

Saffron \Saf"fron\ (?; 277), n. [OE. saffran, F. safran; cf. It. zafferano, Sp. azafran, Pg. a[,c]afr[~a]o; all fr. Ar. & Per. za' far[=a]n.]

1. (Bot.) A bulbous iridaceous plant ( Crocus sativus) having blue flowers with large yellow stigmas. See Crocus.

2. The aromatic, pungent, dried stigmas, usually with part of the stile, of the Crocus sativus. Saffron is used in cookery, and in coloring confectionery, liquors, varnishes, etc., and was formerly much used in medicine.

3. An orange or deep yellow color, like that of the stigmas of the Crocus sativus.

   Bastard saffron, Dyer's saffron. (Bot.) See Safflower.

   Meadow saffron (Bot.), a bulbous plant ( Colchichum autumnale) of Europe, resembling saffron.

   Saffron wood (Bot.), the yellowish wood of a South African tree ( El[ae]odendron croceum); also, the tree itself.

   Saffron yellow, a shade of yellow like that obtained from the stigmas of the true saffron ( Crocus sativus).

Crocus sativus, commonly known as saffron crocus, or autumn crocus, is a species of flowering plant of the Crocus genus in the Iridaceae family. It is best known for the spice saffron, which is produced from parts of the flowers.

The cormous autumn-flowering perennial plant species is unknown in the wild. Human cultivation of saffron crocus and use of saffron is known to have taken place for more than 3,500 years and spans different cultures, continents, and civilizations, see history of saffron.