SAFFRON Crocus sativus: Small vivacious plant to greatly aromatic flowers. Flowers lilac-mallow (9/10), structural in his/her/its center stigmas red-orangé that constitute the spice. 

Botanical features 

The saffron belongs to the family of the Iridacéeses, to the order of the Liliacéeses and the tribe of the Crocéeses with kind Crocus understanding a few 70 species. II is known coins different names: 

Scientific name: Crocus L. sativus 
Common name in French: Saffron, cultivated Saffron, Saffron of Gatinais, 
Common name in English: Saffron, True saffron, Saffron crocus, 
Common name in Spanish: Azafr?n, Croco, Flor of azafr?n, zafr?n, 
Common name in Arabic: Azzaâfarane, Azzaâfrane Alhorr, Azzaâfrane chaâra,

Dearest of spices! 
The enormous necessary work to the harvest of the saffron justifies the elevated price of this product. It is necessary, indeed, to pick until hundred thousand flowers to get five kilograms of stigmas that will give a dry saffron kilogram. 
Flowers of Crocus Sativus are purple and it is necessary to pay attention to not confound them with colchiqueses that contain, them, a dangerous poison. 
Aromatic pigment? Colorful spice? The saffron possesses these two qualities. 
The utilization as stain is known since a very long time. Buddhist monk clothes are since tinted always with the help of the saffron. 
The saffron would be original of Nepal but it is maybe present in all the basin Mediterranean grace botanists' coming with Alexander the Big. 
If the saffron doesn't have a lot of taste, it clears a delicious perfume and it is indispensable, so much in the paëlla that in the bouillabaisse and with all rizottoses. He/it comes with fruits of sea, fishes, very well curryses and flavor a big number of liqueurs. 
Seen his/her/its elevated price, he/it exists many substitutes of which here is the list of most known: the saffron of the Indies, le safran bâtard, les petals of worry, the Rizdor, the Afral and the curcuma . 
"The saffron, a rare and unrecognized spice... "