This Monocot family is comparatively small, including some two hundred species of herbaceous perennials with rhizomes or corms (underground storage organs permitting the plant to survive over winter).
Leaves are usually attached directly to the stem, (rarely with a leaf stalk,) elliptical or lineal in shape, parallel veined and with smooth margins.
Flowers are radially symmetrical and 3-merous, the 3 outer sepals and 3 inner petals being identical giving the flower an appearance of 6 petals.
Many of the members of this family are highly toxic, containing the substance colchicine, which has many medicinal uses.
(Monocots are one of two major groups of flowering plants, characterized as having only one seed leaf (cotyledon) in the embryonic form. (monocotyledon=one cotyledon). This group embraces the narrow-leaved, parallel-veined plants with floral symmetry in 3’s or multiples. It includes grasses and reeds. Its embryonic development differs from the other major group – the dicots (dicotyledon=two cotyledons) that include the broad-leaved, network veined plants with floral symmetry in 4’s or 5’s. Dicots have 2 seed-leaves in the embryonic form.)
(source: Wikipedia)
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narrow, lanceolate leaves, up to 40cm long, arising at ground level in a rosette form but never at same time as flowers
FLOWER TYPE
Symmetry:
--radial (star-shaped as seen from above).
Petals:
--3 (or multiples, for example 6).
This plant:
6 pale pink to purple petals join to form elongated tube extending to ground level, 6 anthers, 3 styles extending down petal tube to underground base of flower
INFLORESCENCE TYPE
Single
--each flower stem carries a single solitary flower.
This plant:
up to 3 flowers per plant emerging singly from underground corm
Most parts of the autumn crocus, are toxic to humans as well as most birds and animals. Cows and sheep are less affected by the poison but it will be present in their milk and this can adversely affect humans, particularly children, who drink it.
The plants grow preferably in warm, moist meadowland, partially wind protected
Flowers and leaves are almost never seen together – it flowers in autumn after the leaves have wilted. In spring, between May and June (although occasionally a second flowering may occur), the ripening fruit capsule is pushed above ground with the emerging leaves. The tiny brown-black seeds, when ripe, are mainly dispersed by ants. The plant also reproduces vegetatively by multiplication of underground corms.
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Though most parts of the autumn crocus or saffron plant are toxic, the stigmas are traditionally used as spice and colouring. Other parts are used in the production of medical treatments for diseases including gout and some forms of cancer.
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6 radially symmetrical petals, 6 anthers and 3 separate stigma and styles in the centre
!W!
Autumn crocus with several flowers emerging from one corm
White
Yellow
Blue
Red
Other
• Backwater
• Marsh
• Damp Grasslands
•Scrub
• Cultivated Fields
• Wayside 
• Dry Grasslands
• Woodland
Most parts of the autumn crocus, are toxic to humans as well as most birds and animals. Cows and sheep are less affected by the poison but it will be present in their milk and this can adversely affect humans, particularly children, who drink it.
The plants grow preferably in warm, moist meadowland, partially wind protected Flowers and leaves are almost never seen together – it flowers in autumn after the leaves have wilted. In spring, between May and June (although occasionally a second flowering may occur), the ripening fruit capsule is pushed above ground with the emerging leaves. The tiny brown-black seeds, when ripe, are mainly dispersed by ants. The plant also reproduces vegetatively by multiplication of underground corms.