Narcissus and Daffodil

34 B. Mathew
d. Section Jonquillae
i. Subsection Jonquillae
ii. Subsection Apodanthi
iii. Subsection Chloranthi
e. Section Tapeinanthus
2. Subgenus Hermione
a. Section Hermione
i. Subsection Hermione
A. Series Hermione
B. Series Albiflorae
ii. Subsection Angustifolii
iii. Subsection Serotini
b. Section Aurelia
3. Subgenus Corbularia
CONSPECTUS OF THE GENUS NARCISSUS
1. Subgenus Narcissus [Subgenus Eu-narcissus Pax]
Description: Flowers usually vernal, rarely autumnal, umbels solitary- to severalflowered.
Perianth segments well-developed; corona well-developed, trumpet-shaped,
cup-shaped or rudimentary; perianth tube varying from ± absent to funnel-shaped
or long and slender; stamens with ± straight filaments. Chromosome number x = 7
(usually 2n = 14).
Five sections of subgenus Narcissus are recognised, Narcissus, Pseudonarcissus,
Ganymedes, Jonquillae and Tapeinanthus.
1a. Section Narcissus [Section Helena (Haworth) Ascherson and Graebner]
Description: Leaves linear or lorate, usually grey-green, flat or channelled. Flowers
vernal, solitary, fragrant; perianth tube cylindrical; segments spreading or slightly
reflexed; corona shallow, disk-like or very widely funnel-form, much wider than
deep. Filaments much shorter than the anthers; anthers dorsifixed, the lower
three usually included and the upper three at least partly exserted.
Type species: N. poeticus L.
Note: There have been great differences of opinion over the classification of the
Poet’s or Pheasant’s Eye narcissus. At one extreme all the variations are considered
to belong to one species, N. poeticus, while at the other extreme about ten separate
species have been recognised. The current view, which appears to have gained
most support, is that there are two species, N. poeticus and N. radiiflorus, with several
named variants of each.
N. poeticus L. Petals broad and overlapping at the base, giving a substantial
‘rounded’ flower; stamens unequal.
var. poeticus. Corona flattish and disk-like; petals at right angles to corona;
flowers up to 7 cm diameter. Southern France, Italy.