Crocus sativa
Arnold Trachtenberg (Mon, 31 Oct 2005 17:14:53 PST)

Here it is.

http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/…

Arnold

Saffron
Crocus sativus
Fam: Iridaceae

Coming from the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus, it takes 75,000
blossoms or 225,000 hand-picked stigmas to make a single pound which
explains why it is the world's most expensive spice. According to Greek
myth, handsome mortal Crocos fell in love with the beautiful nymph
Smilax. But his favours were rebuffed by Smilax, and he was turned into
a beautiful purple crocus flower. A native of the Mediterranean, saffron
is now imported primarily from Spain, where Moslems had introduced it in
the 8th century along with rice and sugar. Valencia coup (coupé meaning
“to cut” off the yellow parts from the stigmas) saffron is generally
considered the best, though Kashmir now rivals this reputation. Saffron
is also cultivated in India, Turkey, China and Iran. The name is from
the Arabic word zafaran which means ‘yellow’. The French culinary term
safrané means ‘coloured using saffron’. Its colouring properties have
been as prized as its unique flavour. In India its colour is considered
the epitome of beauty and is the official colour of Buddhist robes.
Saffron was used to scent t baths and public halls of Imperial Rome.
Pliny wrote that saffron was the most frequently falsified commodity,
which has been true throughout history. Low grade saffron has even been
treated with urine to give it colour, though it has most often been
falsified with dried calendula or marigold. The Romans initially brought
saffron to England, though it was lost to them in the Dark Ages. It is
claimed that in the 14th century a pilgrim to the Holy Land, smuggled
back one crocus bulb in a hollow staff from which all English saffron
supposedly descends. It is grown in great quantities in Essex,
especially in a town called Saffron Essex, whose coat of arms includes
three saffron crocuses. Francis Bacon wrote “it maketh the English
sprightly”.