Colchicum ( or ) is a
genus of
perennial flowering plants containing around 160
species which grow from bulb-like
corms. It is a member of the botanical
family Colchicaceae, and is
native to West Asia, Europe, parts of the Mediterranean coast, down the East African coast to South Africa and the Western Cape. In this genus the ovary of the
flower is underground. As a consequence, the styles are extremely long in proportion, often more than .