[RESOURCE IDENTIFIED > NAKED LADY]
Specimen: Colchicum autumnale. Identification: Autumn Crocus / Meadow Saffron. Status: DEADLY / TOXIC / LEVEL-10 ASSASSIN. Hazard: Multi-Organ Failure (Colchicine).
CROSS-REFERENCE PROTOCOL
⚠️ LETHAL IDENTIFICATION TRAP: This specimen is the primary deadly double for [RESOURCE > SAFFRON]. While Saffron provides “Liquid Sunshine,” the Naked Lady provides a slow, agonizing shutdown of the nervous and digestive systems. NEVER ingest a purple autumn flower without a stamen count.
FIELD IDENTIFICATION
The name “Naked Lady” comes from the plant’s growth habit: the flowers appear “naked” on stalks in the autumn, long after the leaves have withered away. In contrast, true Saffron usually has its green, grassy leaves present during bloom.
Primary Identification Markers:
- The Stamen Count (The “Death” Marker): Open the petals. The Naked Lady has six yellow stamens. True Saffron has only three. 6 = Sickness/Death. 3 = Saffron.
- The Stigmas: This plant lacks the long, drooping, crimson-red threads of Saffron. Its stigmas are short and unremarkable.
- The Foliage: Leaves are broad, fleshy, and “tulip-like.” They appear in the Spring and die back by Summer. If you see a purple flower in autumn with no leaves, it is the Assassin.
- The Bulb: A large, scaly corm. Unlike the fibrous, “hairy” corm of Saffron, the Colchicum corm is smooth and dark-skinned.
THE TOXICOLOGY LOG: CELLULAR COLLAPSE
The active toxin is Colchicine. It is a spindle poison that prevents cells from dividing. There is no known antidote. Treatment in a bunker environment is strictly palliative (managing pain while the system fails).
Symptoms of Ingestion:
- Phase 1 (0-12 hours): Severe burning in the mouth and throat, followed by uncontrollable vomiting and “rice-water” diarrhea.
- Phase 2 (24-72 hours): Multi-organ failure. Respiratory distress, kidney failure, and internal hemorrhaging.
- Phase 3 (Recovery or Exit): If the dose was sub-lethal, hair loss and leukopenia (collapse of the immune system) occur 7-10 days later.
HISTORICAL (MIS)USE
The Gout Gamble: Historically, highly diluted extracts of Colchicum were used to treat acute gout. However, the therapeutic window is microscopic. One drop too many causes systemic poisoning. In a survival sector, the risk far outweighs the reward. Do not attempt to self-medicate with this plant.
Assassination History: Ancient records suggest its use as a slow-acting poison, as the delay in symptoms makes it difficult to trace to the last meal.
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Bunker Advisory: The Six-Stamen Rule |
- THE COUNT: If you count 6 yellow stamens, you are holding a Level-10 Assassin. Do not let it touch your harvesting tools.
- LEAF CHECK: If the flower is standing alone in the dirt with no leaves, it is “Naked” and deadly. True Saffron has grassy leaves during bloom.
- SURFACE CONTACT: While less toxic through the skin, the sap can cause severe irritation. Wear gloves if you must clear this from a sector.
BUNKER CLEARANCE
“Six yellow legs and a naked stem, leave her be and flee from them. Three red threads and a leaf of grass, let the Saffron Hunter pass.” This documentation is the only barrier between a medical resource and a terminal mistake. KNF7 and the Bunker Archives are not responsible for ingestion.
Toxicological data compiled from clinical toxicology records and historical poison archives. THERE IS NO ANTIDOTE FOR COLCHICINE. This is an identification and avoidance log.