Description
A very variable, though consistently early-flowering species (formerly regarded as a subspecies of C. reticulatus) from southern Turkey.
The flowers, which are small to medium-sized, start to appear in December. They are white, speckled and dotted with bronze on the exterior of the outer segments. The petals themselves are pure white with a deep egg-yolk-yellow throat and this all contrasts superbly with the jey black anthers (which ripen to dehisce golden pollen). The gold of the throat infuses through to the outside, which although overlaid with bronze, appears golden. The colour continues right along the tube.
Very hardy but best maintained under cold, or alpine, glass as it does make its blooms early and though these carry on being produced for some time, they can be damaged by weather outside. In pots, it does not want to be too hot, nor dry, over summer.
