Narcissus and Daffodil

42 B. Mathew
recognition whatsoever. Here, in order that interesting variations may not be
overlooked, they have been retained with their specific names, and for convenience
grouped in two series under the two ‘umbrella’ species, N. tazetta and N. papyraceus.
Series A. Hermione (including series Luteiflorae Rouy). N. tazetta and its relatives –
perianth segments white or yellow, corona yellow or orange.
N. tazetta L. Leaves grey-green. Scape to 45 cm, flattened in section. Flowers up to
15 in an umbel, to 4 cm diameter, fragrant; perianth tube 1–2 cm long; segments
white; corona deep yellow or orange. Widespread in the Mediterranean region.
Note: Some wild forms of N. tazetta, although predominantly winter/spring-flowering,
sometimes flower in autumn in the wild but do not appear to do so consistently
when introduced into cultivation. This species has a long history of cultivation and
is naturalised widely from the Mediterranean to Japan; it is sometimes referred to
as the Chinese Sacred Lily.
The following have been variously recognised as variants of N. tazetta or as separate
species:
N. aureus Loiseleur. Leaves green. Perianth segments bright yellow; corona darker
yellow-orange. A wholly yellow-flowered Tazetta, similar to the often-cultivated
‘Soleil d’Or’ which may be a selection of it. South-west France, north-west Italy.
N. bertolonii Parlatore. Leaves slightly greyish-green. Perianth segments pale to
bright yellow; corona bright yellow to orange. Probably inseparable from N. aureus.
N. canaliculatus hort. (N. tazetta ssp. lacticolor). Leaves narrow (to 5 mm), grey-green.
Scape usually less than 15 cm. Perianth segments white, corona yellow. Origin
unknown.
N. corcyrensis (Herbert) Nyman. Leaves slightly grey-green. Perianth segments
pale yellow, narrow and not overlapping at base, sometimes slightly reflexed;
corona yellow or orange-yellow, conspicuously lobed at margin. Corfu, possibly
also southern France, Italy and the Balkan Peninsula.
N. cupularis (Salisbury) Schultes. Leaves markedly blue-grey-green. Perianth
segments and corona pale to bright yellow. Probably inseparable from N. aureus.
N. cypri Sweet. Leaves slightly grey-green. Flowers large (4–5 cm diameter) with
white perianth segments and pale yellow corona, expanded at mouth. Cyprus.
N. italicus Ker-Gawler. Leaves green. Flowers large (4–5 cm diameter) with
perianth segments pale creamy-yellow; corona yellow. Southern France, Italy,
Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia.
N. ochroleucus Loiseleur. Leaves green. Scape subterete. Flowers 2.5–3.5 cm
diameter; perianth segments white, corona pale lemon yellow. Similar to N. italicus
and probably best regarded as a minor variant of it. Southern France.
N. patulus Loiseleur. Leaves grey-green. Scape up to 20 cm. Flowers 1.8–2.5 cm
diameter; perianth segments slightly reflexed, white; corona deep yellow. Southern
France, Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Balkan Peninsula.
Series B. Albiflorae Rouy. N. papyraceus and its relatives – perianth segments white,
corona white.
N. papyraceus Ker-Gawler. Leaves markedly grey-green. Scape to 50 cm, rarely
more, compressed. Flowers 2.5–4 cm diameter, in umbels of up to 20, very fragrant;