Narcissus and Daffodil

Classification of Narcissus 47
var. rifanus (Emb. and Maire) A. Fernandes. Pedicels to 1 cm long; flowers
small, usually 2–3.5 cm long, petals longer than corona. Morocco.
ssp. albidus (Emb. and Maire) A. Fernandes. Flowers white with a greenish or
yellowish tint.
var. albidus. Flowers suberect to erect, perianth segments distinctly longer
than corona. Morocco.
var. zaianicus (Maire, Weiller and Wilczek) A. Fernandes. Flowers near
horizontal, perianth segments about as long as corona. Morocco.
N. tingitanus. Casas, from Tangier, is described as having large pale yellow flowers
becoming cream-coloured, then white with age.
THE HORTICULTURAL CLASSIFICATION OF NARCISSUS CULTIVARS
Historical developments
The development of the horticultural classification of Narcissus cultivars was
described by Kington (1998). Prior to 1884, garden varieties of daffodils were
known by ‘pseudo-botanic names’, resulting in elaborate examples such as ‘Chalcedonicus
Fimbriatus Multiplex Polyanthos’ and ‘Gallicus Major Flore Pleno’. In
1884, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Daffodil Conference reviewed the
classification of garden varieties for the first time. Varieties were put into 33
groups split between three divisions, the Magnicoronati, Mediicoronati and Parvicoronati.
These groups and divisions were based partly on Baker’s (1869)
classification of Narcissus species and partly on other criteria devised by the
Conference Committee. While the group names were largely abandoned, elements
of the 1884 classification – such as the use of both ‘arbitrary’ features (e.g., relative
corona size) and ‘natural’ features (the characteristics of the species) – remain in
the system of classification used today. Variety names were now in the vernacular,
rather than in Latin, and some 400 were listed (Barr and Moore, 1884). With a
great increase both in the numbers of varieties and in hybridisation between the
three divisions, later RHS classification saw the three divisions amended to seven
in 1908 and to 11 in 1910. The 1910 scheme introduced sub-divisions indicating
colour for trumpet, large-cupped and small-cupped cultivars. The 1910 scheme
survived, with only minor amendments, until 1950 (Kington, 1998).
The revised classifications introduced by the RHS in 1950 and 1998 were
designed to be more logical, easier to use, and adaptable to further developments
in daffodil breeding (Kington, 1998). In 1950, the trumpet, large-cupped and
small-cupped divisions were sub-divided according to a one-letter colour code:
(a) perianth and corona coloured, (b) perianth white, corona coloured, (c) perianth
and corona white, and (d) other combinations. A more comprehensive colour coding
was introduced in 1975. Main changes in 1998 included the sub-division of splitcorona
cultivars into Collar and Papillon types, and the establishment of a division
for Bulbocodium cultivars. With the huge number of hybrids and intense interest
among enthusiasts, it is likely that the classification of daffodil cultivars will continue
to evolve.