Crocus flower

Saffron is the tiny stigma at the center of the crocus flower, Crocus sativus. Because each stigma is plucked from the flower by hand, saffron is one of the most expensive spices in use today. 

SOURCE - Extracted from Autumn Crocus flower (Colchicum autumnale). Also available from many chemical companies. 

Food and feed additives do not stand back with regard to the diversity of products. They extend from minerals, mainly calcium, phosphorus, and potassium, to amino acids, vitamins and natural spices. All in all, there are several hundred individual compounds used as feed and food additives. The most expensive product is saffron, made from the stigmas of the saffron crocus flower. The yearly production amounts to about 700,000 kg, and the spice is retailing for about 2500/kg. Amino acids play a big role the largest product is monosodium glutamate (MSG), with a yearly production of 1.5-2 million tons and a price of about 2.30 per kilogram, followed by L-lysine (850,000 tons/ 1.50/kg), D,L-methionine (600,000 tons/ 3/kg), L-threonine (85,000 tons, 3.40/kg), and L-tryptophane (1750 tons/ 24/kg). Major producers of... 

Figure 6,9 Because of their shape, crocus flowers act as micro-greenhouses generating internal temperatures which can he 3 X above that of the surrounding air.

Later authors have adjusted the symbolism of Sharon s Rose to represent Jesus. As we shall see in Chapter 16 and Chapter 17, the rose represents dew, as does the Sumerian KUR-KUR, or crocus flower. The difference is that the rose gives birth to the son or divine dew of Light. This is the color of the bright lilac crocus and identifies with the mysterious Arcanum arcanorum, the lilac Philosophers Stone, which is often hallowed as Jesus for reasons that will also become clear later in this book. 

Synonyms Crocus sativus Crocus sativus extract Saffron crocus extract Saffron crocus flowers extract Saffron extract... 

Saffron Crocetin C20H24O4 Crocus flower stigma (antiquity)... 

Autumn Crocus just before flowering, when the alkaloid content is at its highest. If you do not choose the extraction route, any decent chemical supply house will carry it. I had a chemical house refuse to sell me potassium cyanide but who had no problems with selling me all the colchicine I wanted ( at 30.00 a gram). Colchicine is at least 5 times as deadly as cyanide. It s a funny world. 

Norbask, R. and Kondo, T., Further anthocyanins from flowers of Crocus antalyensis (Iridaceae), Phytochemistry, 50, 325, 1999. 

Norbaek, R. et al.. Flower pigment composition of Crocus species and cultivars used for a chemotaxonomic investigation, Biochem. Syst. Ecol, 30, 763, 2002. 

Glucosyl(l — 2)rhamnoside-7-glucoside Crocus chrysanthus-biflorus CVS eye-catcher and spring pearl flowers Iridaceae 204... 

Saffron, crocus Crocus sativus Portion of flower... 

Saffron Crocus sativus L. Pistil of flower Spain... 

Crocetin monogentiobiosyl ester (carotenoid sugar ester) Buddleja officinalis (Buddlejaceae), Crocus spp. (Iridaceae) [flower] COX... 

Widespread in leaves Crocus satirns (Iridaceae) [flower], Lilium hansonii (Eiliaceae), fea mays (corn) (Poaceae) [seed], Citrus sinensis, C. spp., (Rutaceae) [fruit peel], Capsicum annuum (red pepper), Lycium barbarum (Solanaceae) [fruit]... 

These hardy, autumn-flowering corms are not crocuses, despite their common name. Pink, white, or purple, 2 "-4 "tall flowers bloom without foliage, which comes up in early spring and dies off by midsummer. Narrow dark green leaves grow 6"-12" tall. 

Saffron, an extract of flowers of Crocus sativus, contains the water-soluble pigment crocin the digentiobioside of apocarotenic acid, crocetin zeaxanthin, a P-carotene and characteristic flavoring compounds. The yellow color of this pigment is attractive in beverages, cakes, and other bakery products. However, use of this colorant is restricted by its high price. 

Common Names Autumn Crocus, Michaelmas Flower Poison Colicine Dosage 3/3oz(85G) Flowers, 1/2.5(710 Bulb, i/.5oz(i4G) Leaf, 14-2o/.5oz(i4G) Seeds,. 5/2.5oz(7iG) Stalk... 

The Colchium Autumnale is a wild flower found in meadows and woodlands. It s a perennial herb in the lily family which grows from a solid bulb that can unfortunately be mistaken for a wild onion. The rapier like leaves grow about a foot high, and in the early fall one or two leafless stalks sprout from the bulb each stalk produces a single white-to-purplish-pink flower that resembles a crocus. 

All garden enthusiasts know about the nice autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale), which flowers in late autumn. It is not difficult to understand that this very conspicuous plant profits by containing a strong poison that protects it from pathogens and herbivores. It contains colchicine, which is very toxic and has a complicated structure. The substance is well known to plant breeders because it is used to double the number of chromosomes artificially in plants. A synthetic benzimidazole derivative, l-methyl-3-dode-cylbenzimidazolium chloride, was developed in 1960 as a curative fungicide against apple scab. Thiabendazole, another synthetic benzimidazole derivative, has been used as an anthelmintic since 1962. 

Saffron (Crocus sativus) flowers Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) flesh Lettuce (Lactuca saliva) leaves Green fruits, vegetables, and flowers Vegetables and fruits processed under acid conditions and fermentation Rose hips (Rosa spp.)... 

Annatto is one of the oldest eolorants, dating back to antiquity for coloring food, cosmetics and textiles. Annatto is produced from the seeds of the tropical shrub Bixa Orellana. Saffron is also a very old colorant dating back to the 23rd century BC. It is produeed from the dried stigmas of the flowers of the crocus bulb. Crocus saliva. Saffron is known as the gourmet spice because it produces a desirable flavor and eolor. Its high price is assured because it takes about... 

Crocus sativus L (Family Iridaceae) a perennial herb, native to the Eastern Mediterranean region, is cultivated in Spain, France, Greece, Italy, India, Turkey, Iran, e.t.c. Saffron-the yellow-orange stigmas from a small purple Crocus sativus flower- is the world s most expensive spice. 

According to the Greek mythology a gorgeous mortal named Crocos fell hard for the nymph Smillax who rebuffed Crocos overtures and then Crocos became a lovely purple flower, the well known Crocus sativus. Greek myths and poetry exhibit an extravagant admiration of the color... 

Scheme 2. Crocus sativus plant. I, roots 2, bulbs 3, corm 4, leaves 5, close flower 6 open flower.

Four isolectins have been isolated from bulbs of Crocus sativus with approximately molecular weight 48 KDa as determined by gel filtration chromatography [42]. Rivoflavine and thiamin are also constituents of saffron [43]. Very recently, anthocyanins were identified in the flowers of Crocus sativus [44],... 

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