Editing Crocus (section)

== Distribution and habitat ==
Crocuses are distributed from the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]], from the [[Iberian Peninsula|Iberian peninsula]] and [[North Africa]], through central and southern [[Europe]], the islands of the [[Aegean Islands|Aegean]], the [[Middle East]] and across [[Central Asia|central]] and [[southwest Asia]] to [[Xinjiang]] in western [[China]], but most species are restricted to Turkey and [[Asia-Minor|Asia Minor]] and the [[Balkans]], with the [[Balkans#Balkan Peninsula|Balkan Peninsula]] having the largest number of species (at least 31),{{sfn|Randelovic et al|2012}} forming the [[centre of diversity]], however they are widely [[Introduced species|introduced]].{{sfn|Petersen et al|2008}}{{sfn|WCLSPF|2022}}{{sfn|Flora Italiana|2022}}{{sfn|Innes|1985}} The distribution of species is described over five contiguous areas from west to east (''see [[#Distribution|map]]'').{{sfn|Harpke et al|2013}} 
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Habitats range from sea level to as high as subalpine altitudes, and in a wide range of habitats from woodlands to meadows and deserts, often on stony mountain slopes with good drainage.{{sfn|Ruksans|2011|p=19}}{{sfn|Harris|2022}} The majority of species are native to areas with cold winters and hot summers with little rain, and active growth is typically from fall to mid-spring.{{sfn|Koocheki|Khajeh-Hosseini|2020}} The natural habitats of crocus species are threatened by human activities, including urbanization, industrialization, and other land disturbances and recreational uses. They are negatively impacted by uncontrolled gathering and heavy grazing by livestock.{{sfn|Sevinç Kravkaz| Vurdu|2010}}

<gallery>
File:Crocus alatavicus, 2011.jpg|''Crocus alatavicus''
File:Crocus aleppicus 1.JPG|''Crocus aleppicus''
File:Crocus ancyrensis002.jpg|''Crocus ancyrensis''
File:Crocus banaticus.jpg|''Crocus banaticus''
File:Crocus biflorus 03.jpg|''Crocus biflorus''
File:Crocus cancellatus04.jpg|''Crocus cancellatus''
File:Crocus carpetanus.jpg|''Crocus carpetanus''
File:Crocus cartwrightianus 'Albus'02.jpg|''Crocus cartwrightianus'' 'Albus'
File:Crocus caspius.jpg|''Crocus caspius''
File:Crocus chrysanthus 'Zwanenburg Bronze'.jpg|''Crocus chrysanthus''<br />'Zwanenburg Bronze'
File:Albertacce Crocus corsicus.jpg|''Crocus corsicus''
File:Crocus etruscus02.JPG|''Crocus etruscus'' 'Zwanenburg'
File:Crocus flavus ssp flavus 04.jpg|''[[Crocus flavus]]''
File:Crocus goulimyi3.jpg|''Crocus goulimyi''
File:Crocus graveolens, Çukurova University Campus, Adana, Turkey - 20060109.jpg|''Crocus graveolens''
File:Crocus HyemalisTavor1.JPG|''Crocus hyemalis''
File:Crocus imperati De Jager group 01.JPG|''Crocus imperati'' 'De Jager'
File:Crocus kotschyanus2.jpg|''Crocus kotschyanus''
File:Crocus laevigatus Fontenayi 03.JPG|''Crocus laevigatus'' 'Fontenayi'
File:Crocus longiflorus5.jpg|''Crocus longiflorus''
File:Crocus malyi sveti 1.JPG|''Crocus malyi''
File:Crocus minimus02.jpg|''Crocus minimus''
File:Flor_de_Safrà_Blanc_(Crocus_nevadensis).jpg|''Crocus nevadensis''
File:Crocus nudiflorus4.jpg|''Crocus nudiflorus''
File:Crocus olivieri 01.JPG|''Crocus olivieri''
File:Crocus pallasii 2.jpg|''Crocus pallasii''
File:Crocus pulchellus02.jpg|''Crocus pulchellus''
File:Crocus serotinus clusii flower.jpg|''Crocus serotinus'' subsp. ''clusii''
File:Flors alpines al cim de la muntanya de Parcent.jpg|''Crocus serotinus'' subsp. ''salzmannii''
File:W 7592.JPG|''Crocus scharojanii''
File:Crocus tournefortii Flowers.jpg|''Crocus tournefortii''
File:Crocus at north of the montagne sainte Victoire by JM Rosier 1.JPG|''Crocus versicolor''
</gallery>