COLCHICACEAE

 

Plants contain an alkaloid called colchicine. Perennial herbs with fibrous, creeping or bulbous rootstock. Flowering in early monsoon weeks. Leaves varying, parallel veined. Flowers regular, solitary, umbellate or spicate. Perianth funnel shaped, herbaceous, petaloid, segments 6. Stamens 6, adnate or perianth, filaments free or connate. Anthers linear. Ovary 3 celled. Fruit a capsule of 3 cells.