keys to the vascular plants of east texas - Botanical Research ...

456 AMARYLLIDACEAE/NARCISSUS
AA genus of ca. 26 species (Straley & Utech 2002d). A number of species (and their hybrids)
of this Old World (Europe to n Africa and w Asia) genus are cultivated for their early spring
flowers, and they are among the most popular garden plants (Huxley et al. 1992). The genus is
difficult taxonomically because of the ease of hybridization (Hanks 2002) and the presence of
numerous aneuploids and polyploids (Meerow & Snijman 1998). Several of the most frequently
cultivated species and their hybrids, which long persist around old homesites or escape, are
treated here. In the cut-flower trade, cultivars with long coronas are traditionally called DAFFO-
DILS, while those with short coronas are referred to as NARCISSUSES (Burrows & Tyrl 2001). �
The leaves and bulbs have been known to cause toxic symptoms (e.g., nausea, vomiting, dizziness)
or even death in humans, and even small amounts cause vomiting; livestock have also
been poisoned when Narcissus bulbs were used as emergency food; toxins include a number of
alkaloids (e.g., narcissine, lycorine) and possibly a glycoside. The bulbs and leaves can cause
dermatitis in susceptible individuals. Raphides (= bundles of microscopic, needle-like calcium
oxalate crystals) are also present in the bulbs and can cause mechanical injury to the mouth,
throat, or hands by puncturing cell membranes (Kingsbury 1964; Schmutz & Hamilton 1979;
Spoerke & Smolinske 1990; Turner & Szczawinski 1991; Foster & Caras 1994; Bruneton 1999;
Burrows & Tyrl 2001; Julian & Bowers 2002). Narcissus oil (probably from N. poeticus) was
used by the Greek Hippocrates as early as the 4 th century B.C. for treating tumors, a use that
was subsequently repeated in many cultures (Pettit et al. 1993). Interestingly, compounds (e.g.,
the alkaloid pancratistatin) from other members of the Amaryllidaceae are now showing
promise as anticancer agents (Pettit et al. 1993, 1995). (Greek plant name derived from narke,
numbness or torpor, from its narcotic properties; in Greek mythology the youth Narcissus fell
in love with his own reflection in a pool and was turned into this plant by the gods.)
REFERENCES: Jefferson-Brown 1951; Meyer 1966; Brandham & Kirton 1987; Blanchard 1990;
Hanks 2002; Straley & Utech 2002d.
1. Corona nearly as long as or slightly longer than lobes of perianth; perianth tube (below attachment
of perianth lobes) broadly conical, about as long as lobes; flower 1 per flowering stalk
________________________________________________________________________ N. pseudonarcissus
1. Corona ca. 3/4 as long as lobes of perianth or shorter (often much shorter); perianth tube nearly
cylindrical, slightly to much shorter than lobes; flowers 1–15(–20) per flowering stalk.
2. Corona ca. 1/2–3/4 as long as perianth lobes; flowers usually yellow (but the corona can be a
deeper yellow), 1-4 per flowering stalk.
3. Leaves thick (subterete), grooved; flowers (1–)2–4 per flowering stalk, fragrant, usually uniformly
bright yellow __________________________________________________________ N. �odorus
3. Leaves flat; flower 1 per flowering stalk, not fragrant, with the perianth lobes pale yellow
and the corona orange-yellow ___________________________________________ N. �incomparabilis
2. Corona 1/3 as long as perianth lobes or less; flowers white to yellow (but corona can be
differently colored), 1–15(–20) per flowering stalk.
4. Leaves thick, terete (= cylindrical) or nearly so and grooved on upper surfaces, green, 2–4
mm wide; flowers � uniformly golden yellow ______________________________________ N. jonquilla
4. Leaves flat or nearly so, mostly � glaucous, 6–15(–20) mm wide; flowers EITHER with the
perianth lobes conspicuously differently colored than the corona OR the perianth entirely
white.
5. Perianth entirely white; flowers (2–)5–15(–20) per flowering stalk _________________ N. papyraceus
5. Perianth lobes conspicuously differently colored than the corona; flowers 1–8(–15) per
flowering stalk.
6. Perianth lobes white; corona yellow with red rim; flowers usually 1 per flowering stalk
______________________________________________________________________ N. poeticus
6. Perianth lobes white to cream; corona yellow to deep yellow, without red rim;
flowers 2–8(–15) per flowering stalk __________________________________________ N. tazetta