From quita meriendas, Spanish for Colchicum.

Perennial stemless, cormous herbs. Leaves basal, sheathing. Flowers opening wide, radially symmetrical, more or less stalkless. Inflorescence terminal, 1- to few-flowered. Tepals 3+3, free, clawed. Stamens 3+3, attached to the tepal bases. Styles 3, free. Fruit a capsule, opening apically. Seeds spherical, red-brown.

About 10 species from S Europe to W and C Asia and N Africa.

Basal leaves and free-tepalled, more or less stalkless flowers with the ovary deeply buried at the time the flower opens.

Apostolova & Petrova (1997).

Source: Conran, J. (2005). Colchicaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.