Angustifolius

Crocus was a beautiful young man in Greek mythology who became the subject of a tragic love story. According to the myth, Crocus was either a mortal youth beloved by the god Hermes, or in some versions, he was involved in a love triangle with the nymph Smilax.

In the most common telling, Crocus was transformed into the crocus flower. Some versions say this happened after his death - either from unrequited love or as a result of the gods' intervention in his romantic affairs. In one variant, Hermes accidentally killed Crocus during a game of discus, and out of grief, transformed his beloved into the delicate spring flower that bears his name.

The crocus flower, which blooms early in spring and often pushes through snow, was seen by the ancient Greeks as a symbol of youthful love and the renewal of life. The flower's brief but vibrant blooming period reflected the fleeting nature of young love and beauty that the myth of Crocus represented.

Like many Greek transformation myths, Crocus's story served to explain the origin of a natural phenomenon while exploring themes of love, loss, and the eternal cycle of nature.