Description
(considered prior to 2019 to be hadriaticus Purple Eye)
This new colour break for the species has been raised in cultivation from a single corm and as the name implies it has a purple centre to each large violet infused, white flower. The flowers are large and present a gorgeous colour combination.
It is suspected that this is a hybrid of C. mathewii Dream Dancer with C. hadriaticus and its naming has recently been changed (by the original raiser) to reflect this. In fact sporadic, identical plants have now been found in seed-raised stocks of C. mathewii Dream Dancer and although Purple Eye was thought at one time to have been found as a rogue in a commercial stock of a different species, its origin is now confirmed as a rogue in plants from seed of C. mathewii Dream Dancer. It is worth noting that Dream Dancer itself is fully fertile (and has yellow anthers) however Purple Eye is easily distinguished with its white, sterile anther sacs which carry no pollen. Occurrences of Purple Eye in stocks of Dream Dancer may also have given rise to the incorrect suggestion that Dream Dancer is sterile, which it is not.
The colour combination is a stunning one, as the anthers are white whilst the long styles derive from the typical deep red ones of the hadriaticus parent. Purple Eye itself has long orange styles, which are very developed and accordingly it is a good saffron producer. Deep in the throat, the mathewii in the parentage manifests as a lovely purple ring. Since no seed is made, you can remove the styles for culinary use, yet you can still enjoy the flowers and not lose the seed-set expected on other species.
