C. biflorus Miller, Gard. Diet. ed. 8, no. 4 (1768).
Corm tunic membranous or coriaceous with entire or toothed rings at base. Leaves (3-)4-9, synanthous, 0.5-3.5 mm broad. Prophyll absent. Bracteole present, subequal to or much narrower than bract. Throat of perianth pale to deep yellow, glabrous or finely papillose; segments 1.7-3.5 xO.5-1.3 cm, subacute, obtuse or rounded, white, lilac or blue, exterior sometimes prominently striped, veined, speckled or stained with purple, dark blue or grey. Filaments 3-7 mm, white or yellow, glabrous or finely papillose; anthers (0.8-)l-1.4 cm, yellow or blackish, sometimes yellow with blackish basal lobes, sometimes yellow with a greyish or blackish connective. Style dividing into 3 yellow to reddish-orange slender or expanded branches. 2n =8,10,12,14,16,18, 20, 22. Fl. 2-6f-7). Open rocky slopes, scrub, alpine turf, sparse coniferous woods, 200-3000 m.
 1. Leaves with no prominent ribs in the grooves on lower surface; flowers white, usually with conspicuous purple or brownish stripes outside;anthers yellow (Istanbul area, Rodhos) a. subsp. biflorus
 1. Leaves with at least one prominent rib in each of the grooves on lower surface; flowers white, lilac or blue, with or without stripes; anthers yellow, greyish or blackish-maroon
  2. Flowers lilac-blue to blue usually without very conspicuous stripes outside, sometimes stained darker at base of perianth segments; anthers always yellow; corm tunics usually membranous
   3. Leaves 4-9, 1.5-3.5 mm broad; flowers pale to mid lilac; bracts silvery-membranous (S., C, N, & N.E. Anatolia) j. subsp. tauri
   3. Leaves 3-4{-5), not more than 1 mm broad; flowers usually deep blue-violet; bracts drying brownish or reddish (N.W. Anatolia)  i. subsp. pulchricolor
  2. Flowers white or blue, usually strongly striped, but sometimes speckled, outside; anthers yellow or blackish-maroon;
    4. Flowers with one central violet stripe on each outer perianth segment; sheathing leaves and bracts drying brownish; anthers yellow (Artvin area) h. subsp. artvinensis
    4. Flowers with at least 3 dark stripes on exterior of outer perianth segments, or finely dark-speckled, rarely 1-striped but if so then sheathing leaves and bracts silvery-white; anthers yellow or blackish-maroon
     5. Leaves 2-3(-4), 1.5-2 mm broad; anthers blackish-maroon (S.W. Anatolia) . b. subsp. crewei
     5. Leaves (3-}4-8, 0.5-l(-1.5) mm broad; anthers yellow or blackish-maroon
      6. Style branches usually densely papillose; anthers blackish-maroon with long slender basal lobes (W. Anatolia, Islands)
c. sbsp. nubigena
      6. Style branches usually glabrous but sometimes ose; anthers yellow or blackish-maroon with sfeort basal lobes
       7. Flowers finely speckled outside; anthere yellow{$. Anatolia) e. subsp.. punctatus
       7. Flowers markedly striped outside, anthers blackish-maroon or yellow; if flowers somewhat speckled outside then anthers with agrey-ish connective
        8. Anthers blackish before dehiscence; leaves {4-).5-8; flowers clove- scented (S.E. Anatolia) f. subsp. pseudonubigena
        8, Anthers yellow but sometimes withagreyish conaective;leaves 3-6 (-7); flowers with a sweet (honey) scent
         9. Leaves usually 3-4; anthers always yellow with apale connective; filaments usually 2-4 mm, often somewhat flattened (Turkey-in-Europe)  g. subsp, adamii
         9. Leaves usually 4-7; anthers yellow but often with agreyisii connective; filaments 4-7 mm, filiform (S.W. & S. Anatolia) A. subsp. issauricus
subsp. tauri (Maw) Mathew, The Crocus .85 (1982). Syn: C. tauri Maw in Card. Chron. 16:749 (I881). Ic: Maw, Monogr. Crocus t. 61 (3886), as C. tauri; Mathew, Dwarf Bulbs t 23 (1973), as C. biflorus;Rix & Phillips, Bulb Book 23(1981), as C. biflorus. 2n - 20, 22.
Type: [Turkey C5 Içel near the Cilician Gates ("ad Portas Cilicianas"} of the Taurus, Aucher 2654 (hole. K!).
S. & Inner Anatolia. A7 Gumüşane: Kaldirim Da., Sint. 1894:541! A8 Gümüşane: Kop Da. col, 2700 m. Furse & Synge 35! A9 Kars: Sarikamiş, Iznos çayiri,E.Czhatay (ISTE 19713)1 B5 Kayseri: Bakir Da,,2000m,fethew & Tomlinson 4100 (2n = 20)! B6 Malatya: 35 krn S.£. of Darende, 1800 m, Leep & Pasche 72/20 (2n = 20)! B7 Sivas: Refahiye «o Zara, Leep A Pasche 72/60 (2n = 20)! B8 Erzurum: 53 km N, of Hinis, Marais 1559! 89 Ağri: Tahix Da., Rix 9 (2n = 22)! C5 içel: Cilkiaa Gates (GüIek Boğazi), Aucher 2128! C6 Maraş: Akher (Ahir) Da., 1700 m, Bails 9181! C10 Hakkari: d. Yüksekova, Esendere, 1700-2150 m.Güner 1660!
?Soviet Armenia. Ir.-Tur. element.
Distribution of species: Italy, Balkans, Crimea, Transcaucasia,N.Iraq,N., N.W. & W. Iran.