Narcissus and Daffodil

44 B. Mathew
Note: N. elegans shows considerable infraspecific variation and some of the variants
have been named: var. elegans forma elegans has narrow, pointed, white perianth
segments and greenish corona; var. elegans forma auranticoronatus Maire has an
orange corona; var. fallax Font-Quer has narrow, pointed, greenish-white perianth
segments; var. flavescens Maire has narrow, pointed cream-coloured perianth
segments; and var. intermedius J. Gay has perianth segments rather broader and
more obtuse than in the other taxa.
2a(iii). Subsection Serotini Parlatore
Description: Leaves very narrow, ± filiform. Flowers autumnal, often solitary; perianth
tube cylindrical; corona a very shallow cup. Filaments subequal to anthers,
anthers dorsifixed.
Type species: N. serotinus L.
N. serotinus L. Scape 10–25 cm. Leaves absent at flowering time, filiform, green, to
25 cm long. Flowers autumnal, fragrant, one to three per umbel, up to 3.5 cm in
diameter, white; corona saucer-shaped, to 2 mm deep, orange or yellow; perianth
tube 1.2–2 cm long, slender. Widespread in the Mediterranean region.
Note: This is a variable species and some of the local variants have been given distinguishing
names, but it is doubtful if they can be maintained.
2b. Section Aurelia (J. Gay) Baker
Description: Leaves flat. Flowers autumnal, several in an umbel; perianth tube
cylindrical/narrowly infundibuliform; perianth segments spreading; corona rudimentary.
Filaments longer than the anthers, anthers dorsifixed, exserted from the
tube.
Type species: N. broussonetii Lagasca.
N. broussonetii Lagasca. Leaves present at flowering time, flat, grey-green, 1–1.5 cm
wide. Flowers autumnal, fragrant, up to ten (rarely to 12) in an umbel, about 3 cm
in diameter, white; corona represented by only a tiny rim, white. Morocco.
Note: A large-flowered (about 3.5 cm diameter) tetraploid variant has been distinguished
as forma grandiflorus.
3. Subgenus Corbularia (Salisb.) Pax [Section Bulbocodium De Candolle]
Description: Leaves narrow, semi-terete, usually dark or bright green, sometimes
slightly glaucous. Flowers vernal (sometimes in late autumn or winter at low altitudes
and in cultivation), solitary, usually held just below to just above the horizontal;
perianth tube widely obconical; segments narrow, suberect or occasionally nearly
patent; corona narrowly conical to widely funnel-shaped and constituting the
main part of the flower. Filaments very much longer than the anthers, deflexed in
the lower part, curved-ascending in the upper part, anthers dorsifixed, exserted from
the tube, usually included within the corona but sometimes exserted. Chromosome
number x = 7 (2n = 14 to 56).