Colchicum lagotum K.Perss., sp. nov. — Type: Turkey, Erzurum: Çat to Bingöl, 73 km from Erzurum, 7 km before Cirisli Geçidi, steep unstable serpentine slopes, 1900 m, 1.VI.2004, Zetterlund et al. BATM223, holotype GB. — NE Turkey (Erzurum, Çoruh). 34 TUR. Differt a C. szovitsii (incl. C. bifolio) cormi tunicis tenuioribus fugacibus, foliis semper 2 (non 2–3) adultis patentibus basi non convolutis, perigonii tubo graciliore indistincte sulcato, perianthii segmentis edentatis, filamentis et stylis gracilioribus, capsulis subterraneis. Corm oblong-ovoid to globular-ovoid, 1.3–2 x 1–1.9 cm, hypopodium usually c. 0.5–1.5 cm long; tunics membranous to submembranous, ± evanescent, outer dark brown, inner yellowish-brown, neck lacking or short, ± split up. Leaves 2, synanthous, at anthesis often partly suffused brownish-carmine, suberect to erecto-patent, not or slightly recurved, extending along half to entire length of flower tube, at maturity erecto-patent to patent-recurved, lanceolate- linear to lanceolate-oblong, 12–18 x 0.6–2 cm, rather glossy deep green, shallowly channelled not convolute at base, obtuse, glabrous. Flowers mostly solitary but occasionally up to 3; perianth tube entire, exceeding the cataphyll by c. 2.5–5(–7) cm, whitish, faintly furrowed; limb funnel-shaped to narrowly campanulate, pale to mid purplish-lilac darkening towards base, segments 2–2.5 x 0.4–0.9 cm, oblong to oblanceolate, ± obtuse, edentate, without basal lamellae but with short shallow channels along filament bases. Outer stamens 0.8–1.3 cm, inner 1.0–1.5 cm; filaments slender, whitish to palest yellow with deep yellow thickened base; anthers 3–3.5 mm, greyish-yellow to black. Styles slender, whitish to palest yellow, straight, stigmas punctiform. Capsules ± subterraneran, oblong to ellipsoid, 1–2.5 x 0.8–1.5 cm; seeds angular-globose, reddish-brown, with yellowish- white swelling along raphe.—Flowering March–April.—Fig. 1B, 3B. Was called ‘Rabbit’s Ears’ by its collectors on account of the two oblong obtuse leaves, hence its Latin epithet. Chromosome number: 2n = 14 (Turkey, Artvin: Above Demirkent, KKPS 93-34; Erzurum: Çat to Bingöl, 73km fr. Erzurum, BATM 223). This number is otherwise in the genus only found in C. crocifolium, C. hirsutum, C. ritchii, C. schimperi and C. tuviae (Feinbrun, 1958; Persson, 1992, and unpubl.).