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development. This developmental change occurs within the apical meristems, or grow-
ing tips, of the cormlets, which begin producing tiny f lower buds instead of leaves. In
the autumn, these f lower buds grow into f lowers, which produce the valuable stigmas.
This is why a period of dormancy underground is absolutely essential for saffron pro-
duction, because without it the cormlets would never make the transition from the
vegetative to the reproductive stage.
It is inconceivable that the Minoans could have been ignorant of the necessity for a
“dormant” underground phase of the crocus planting cycle. If they ever planted a corm(a)
(b)(c)Figure 6.15 Three stages in crocus cormlet formation. A. Branches emerge from the mother
corm in the fall during the rainy season. B. The bases of the side branches swell to form cormlets.
C. Mature cormlets ready to be divided from the mother corm.
From Molina, R. V., et al. (2004), The effect of time of corm lifting and duration of incubation at inductive
temperature on flowering in the saffron plant (Crocus sativus L .). Scientia Hort. 103:79– 91.