Narcissus nomenclature

Jane McGary janemcgary@earthlink.net
Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:30:41 PST
As I used to write in my surplus bulb lists, I have just about given 
up trying to figure out Narcissus nomenclature and have just sent out 
bulbs and seeds with the names under which I received them, adding 
whatever synonyms I can get from Blanchard's book mentioned by Iain. 
Unfortunately new "species" seem to be named constantly, although I 
think Blanchard regards many of these as small hybrid populations or 
just local variants.

The Bulbocodium section, which includes N. cantabricus, is 
particularly rich in confusions, but I'm glad to see a lot of them in 
flower right now, despite a viciously cold December. They are 
rewarding plants and very easy in pots, but should be grown as hard 
as possible because they tend to go over fast and flop in a warm greenhouse.

Also in flower now are N. hedraeanthus, N. jacetanus, and what I have 
under the name N. asturicus (which I think is an invalid name now). 
The latter two are trumpet daffodils but respectively small and very small.

Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon, USA


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