Chilean blue-crocus
Tecophilaea cyanocrocus Leyb.
Tecophilaea cyanocrocus, known as the Chilean blue-crocus, is a flowering perennial plant native to central Chile. It grows at elevations of 2,000 to 3,000 m on dry, stony slopes in the Andes. Once thought extinct in the wild due to overcollecting, overgrazing, and habitat destruction, it was rediscovered in 2001. The species had previously survived in cultivation as a greenhouse and landscape plant.
Description
Tecophilaea cyanocrocus belongs to the family Tecophilaeaceae and is part of the genus Tecophilaea. It is found in central Chile, where it thrives in arid, rocky environments. The plant was first described in 1862 by Leyb. Due to human activities and environmental pressures, it was presumed extinct in the wild until its rediscovery in 2001. Despite its wild population decline, the plant has been maintained in cultivation for ornamental purposes.
Other common names
Chilean blue-crocusChilean-crocus
Distribution
TR · Chile Central
Synonyms
Zephyra cyanocrocusTecophilaea cyanocrocus var. leichtliniiTecophilaea cyanocrocus var. regeliiTecophilaea cyanocrocus var. violaceaTecophilaea cyanocrocus f. typicaTecophilaea cyanocrocus f. leichtlinii
