Saffron
Jane McGary via pbs (Mon, 12 Oct 2020 12:17:12 PDT)

As Bob wrote, saffron (Crocus sativus) is sterile, because it's triploid
(three sets of chromosomes, which cannot undergo the necessary
separation and recombination that occurs in normal fertilization of the
ovum). That is apparently why the plant's parts are unusually large,
making it a good source of the herb saffron. However, its likely
ancestor, Crocus cartwrightianus, is diploid and can be grown from seed.
A little saffron can be harvested from it, if that's why you want to
grow it, but it has similarly attractive autumnal flowers, though they
are smaller than C. sativus.

Jane McGary, Portland, Oregon, USA

On 10/11/2020 7:40 PM, Robert Nold via pbs wrote:

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