Colchicum autumnale
Enable an AI agent to recognise Colchicum autumnale, assess its seasonal condition and exposure risks, and choose justified observation, cultivation or containment actions.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
Researched by: Codex
Purpose and description
Enable an AI agent to recognise Colchicum autumnale, assess its seasonal condition and exposure risks, and choose justified observation, cultivation or containment actions.
It can be Document flowers and leaves without destructive sampling and request expert identification when evidence is incomplete; Schedule repeat visits to connect autumn flowering with spring foliage at marked locations; Assess growing conditions and propose care based on observed seasonal phase and site evidence; Plan authorised propagation from documented material with identity and provenance retained; Mark or restrict access to toxic plant material and flag possible food or forage contamination; Record suspected exposure and hand off to appropriate human or veterinary emergency services.
Distinguishing features
Count stamens in an intact flower: six supports Colchicum over true Crocus, which has three; this does not establish C. autumnale within Colchicum. [Kew family description](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A77126743-1/general-information)
Link autumn flowers and spring foliage at the same marked position; seasonal separation supports identification but is not unique to this species. [RHS Colchicum guide](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/colchicum)
Check erect, broad strap-shaped leaves and crocus-like lavender-pink flowers against the species description; colour alone cannot establish identity. [RHS species profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/4190/colchicum-autumnale/details)
For separation from other Colchicum species and horticultural hybrids, require a regional identification key using measured floral and vegetative characters; an 'autumn crocus' label is insufficient.
Scope
+ Species identification with explicit confidence and evidence from available organs
+ Seasonal relationships between flowers, foliage, fruit and underground corms
+ Plant condition, persistence and reproductive evidence
+ Occurrence origin and immediate growing conditions
+ Toxic plant material, exposure opportunities and handling constraints
- Identification models for other Colchicum species, Crocus species and edible lookalikes
- Colchicine chemistry, extraction, pharmaceutical manufacture and dosing
- Diagnosis and treatment of human or animal poisoning
- Whole-meadow ecology, agricultural production and landscape management
- Jurisdiction-wide conservation law and plant trade regulation
Characteristics
- Identification confidence
- unassessed | suspected Colchicum | probable C. autumnale | verified C. autumnale | conflicting Controls whether species-specific conclusions are justified.
- Visible organ combination
- flowers | leaves | capsules | exposed corm | detached material | no visible organs; multiple values permitted Determines which identification and condition checks are possible.
- Stamen count
- count per intact flower; unobservable recorded separately Supports discrimination between Colchicum and Crocus.
- Leaf dimensions
- length and maximum width in mm, with leaf maturity Provides comparable evidence for identification without relying on photographs alone.
- Seasonal phase
- flowering | leaf growth | fruit development | senescence | presumed dormancy | unresolved Prevents seasonal disappearance from being treated automatically as death.
- Observation continuity
- dated observation linked to marked plant position or mapped patch Connects organs seen in different seasons without assuming nearby plants are one individual.
- Corm condition
- unexamined | apparently intact | damaged | soft or decaying | viability unresolved Supports assessment of underground persistence when examination is justified.
- Local water regime
- dry | moist and draining | intermittently saturated | persistently waterlogged | unknown Helps assess site suitability and investigate decline.
- Occurrence origin
- documented planting | documented wild occurrence | suspected escape | unknown Separates cultivation history from assumptions based on location.
- Exposure connection
- plant material linked to accessible people, animals, food collection or forage Makes toxic-material precautions depend on actual access and material movement.
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 5 bundles · 10 layers · 10 findings · 24 questions.
Species recognition Establish whether an observation belongs to the registered species.
Common names and crocus-like flowers can conceal both genus-level and species-level misidentification.
Taxonomic assignment
Connect the determination to the species concept and its supporting evidence.
Accepted species link
Record the determination against Colchicum autumnale L., an accepted species, while keeping supplier names and cultivar claims distinguishable from verified identity. [Kew POWO](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A533232-1/general-information)
- Which taxonomic reference and version support the determination as Colchicum autumnale? provenance
- Does a cultivar or hybrid label support inclusion in this species, or leave its assignment unresolved? boundary
Diagnostic observations
Separate observed characters from identification conclusions.
Lookalike exclusion
Retain organ photographs, measurements and the key steps used to exclude Crocus and other Colchicum candidates.
- How many stamens are visible in an intact flower, and which leaf and floral measurements are available? measurement
- Which regional key characters exclude the remaining Colchicum species or hybrids? boundary
- What additional observation or expert determination is needed before accepting the species identification? action
Seasonal organ continuity Interpret observations across the separated flowering and foliage seasons.
A single visit can miss the organs needed to identify the plant or assess its persistence.
Phenological sequence
Record local timing instead of assuming a universal calendar.
Dated organ emergence
Track flowering, leaf emergence, fruit appearance and senescence as observations tied to place and year.
- On what dates were flowers, green leaves, capsules and senescent foliage observed? measurement
- Which marked position or other evidence connects observations from different seasons? provenance
Underground persistence
Assess what absence above ground says about a corm-bearing perennial.
Dormancy versus loss
Keep presumed dormancy, failed detection, removal and confirmed death as separate interpretations.
- Does the absence of visible organs fit the site's previously observed seasonal sequence? boundary
- Would a repeat seasonal visit resolve persistence, or is authorised corm examination justified? action
Site and plant condition Relate observed condition to the immediate growing environment.
Seasonal senescence, physical damage and unsuitable conditions imply different actions.
Growing site
Describe the plant's location, establishment history and water regime.
Establishment context
Record drainage and planting history; moist but well-drained soil is the horticultural reference, and waterlogging is unsuitable. [RHS species profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/4190/colchicum-autumnale/details)
- What evidence establishes whether this occurrence was planted, wild or of unknown origin? provenance
- What soil moisture, standing-water duration and light exposure have been observed at the plant? measurement
Condition interpretation
Distinguish recorded symptoms from proposed causes.
Organ damage and decline
Track leaf, flower and accessible corm damage without converting symptoms into an unsupported diagnosis.
- Which organs show damage, discoloration or decay, and how has its extent changed? measurement
- What evidence separates expected senescence from premature decline or physical injury? boundary
- Which observation or site correction is justified before attempting a targeted treatment? action
Reproduction and intervention Assess reproductive evidence and condition cultivation actions on seasonal state.
Flower abundance does not establish recruitment, and corm disturbance requires appropriate timing and authority.
Reproductive evidence
Separate flowering, fruiting and observed establishment.
Recruitment and patch change
Record capsules, seeds and newly appearing plants while retaining uncertainty about seedlings versus vegetative growth.
- What counts of flowers, capsules and newly observed shoots are available for the same mapped patch? measurement
- What evidence distinguishes seedling recruitment from corm multiplication or improved detection? boundary
Cultivation decisions
Choose interventions using observed phase, provenance and local authority.
Propagation and disturbance window
Use ripe seed or dormant-summer corm separation as horticultural reference options, subject to local timing and permission. [RHS species profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/4190/colchicum-autumnale/details)
- What evidence shows seed ripeness or corm dormancy at this site? measurement
- Do ownership and applicable conservation constraints permit collection, division or relocation? boundary
- How will an authorised intervention preserve provenance and allow later assessment of survival? action
Toxic material and exposure Connect plant identity and material movement to exposure prevention.
A mistaken edible-plant identification or accessible discarded material changes what an agent may safely recommend.
Hazard recognition
Keep ingestion hazard explicit for plants and attributable parts.
Toxic plant designation
Record toxicity if eaten and protective handling requirements; do not infer edibility from a common name. [RHS species profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/4190/colchicum-autumnale/details)
- Which living or detached material is confirmed or suspected to belong to this plant? definition
- Could its name, appearance or collection location cause it to enter food or forage? boundary
Access and response
Translate observed access or suspected ingestion into an appropriate handoff.
Exposure control and handoff
Record who or what can reach the material, implement justified access controls, and route suspected ingestion to emergency expertise without deriving treatment from this model.
- Which people or animals can access the plant, collected parts or discarded material? boundary
- What marking, separation or controlled handling action would interrupt the observed exposure route? action
- If ingestion is suspected, which emergency service should receive the plant evidence, exposure time and reported circumstances? action
What the second pass must settle
- Which regional identification keys provide reliable species-level separation from locally occurring Colchicum species and horticultural hybrids?
- Which vegetative characters reliably distinguish nonflowering plants from locally relevant edible lookalikes, and when is expert examination necessary?
- How do local climate and cultivation alter flowering, foliage, fruiting and dormancy dates?
- What monitoring evidence can distinguish seedling recruitment, corm multiplication and seasonal detection differences without destructive sampling?
- Which local conservation restrictions, disposal requirements and forage-contamination guidance apply to the occurrence being modelled?