As a new comer, can I say how thrilled I am to have found your forum, which I am thoroughly enjoying. My husband and I moved to the Greek Island of Crete three years ago. As a botanical artist the island gives me tremendous inspiration. At the moment, we are mounting a campaign of education with local farmers to preserve Crete's endemic and rare Crocus oreocreticus. Last year we found a wonderful meadow full of these large, colourful blooms. When the Autumn rains began I looked forward with eager anticipation to their appearance, Two weeks ago we went up to the mountain meadow armed with cameras, drawing pads and pencils. To our horror, the whole area had been ploughed up - no sign of Crocus oreocreticus anywhere, although Colchicum cretense was in evidence everywhere. Can anyone tell me whether the saffron of C. oreocreticus is edible? Our saffron here in Greece is commercially grown somewhere in Northern Greece and is relatively cheap, compared with other sources. For those who don't know this island, in Autumn and Spring the mountains are like some wonderful, huge rock garden - at the moment the limestone rocks are covered with Sternbergias, Colchicums, Crocuses and Narcissus. Absolute bliss! If anyone would like to see photos please visit our website http://www.floracretica.gr/ - we have a flower calendar, on which we regularly post new images. Crocus oreocreticus, which we eventually found, can be found in the October section.