The flower of longing (Colchicum speciosum L.) belongs to the Colchicum genus and the Colchicacae family, whose members are herbaceous, perennial with underground tubers or rhizomes and hypogynous flowers with 6 petals [1]. There are more than 100 species of this genus in the world. In Iran, this plant is known as Soranjan or the flower of longing, and more than 16 species of it have been reported to grow in Iran. Plants belonging to Colchicaceae are mainly used in pharmaceutical applications, thanks to therapeutic, anti-inflammatory, and antitumoral activities [2] attributed to the presence of colchicinoids (alkaloids), such as colchicine and demecolcine. In this regard, colchicine is used in the treatment of gout [3] and Behcet’s disease [4], while demecolcine, together with trimethyl-colchicine acid methyl ester, demonstrated anti-neoplastic activity and is particularly suitable for the treatment of leukemia [5]. Besides, bioactive compounds characterizing plants belonging to the Colchicaceae family, such as alkaloids (e.g., colchicine), have been characterized and have been widely studied because of their beneficial effects for the treatment of cirrhosis, psoriasis, and amyloidosis [6]. This study aimed at finding morphological diversity of longing (Colchicum speciosum L.) in Ilam province.
