Narcissus pseudonarcissus, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1980, Flora Europaea. Volume 5. Alismataceae to Orchidaceae (Monocotyledones), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press : 82-83

22. N. pseudonarcissus L. , Sp. Pl. 289 (1753) .

Bulb 20-50 mm. Leaves 8-50 cm x 5-15 mm, usually glaucous. Scape 12-50(-90) cm. Spathe 20-60 mm, scarious. Flowers solitary, or rarely in umbels of 2-4, horizontal, drooping or suberect, concolorous or bicoloured. Hypanthial tube 15-25 mm. Perianth-segments 18-40(-55) mm, white to deep yellow, patent to erecto-patent, sometimes twisted. Corona 15-45 mm, white to deep yellow; margin subentire to fimbriate or 6-lobed. Woods, meadows and rocky ground. • W. Europe, northwards to N. England; long cultivated for ornament and locally naturalized elsewhere. Br Ga Ge He Ho Hs Lu [Al Au Bu Cz It Ju Rm].

Every author has given a different circumscription to this species, which lies at the centre of the most difficult section of the genus. Even Pugsley, who recognized 27 other species within the section Pseudonarcissi , admitted the great variability of N. pseudonarcissus , and it is clear that if all his variants are taken into account the separation of many of his other species becomes impossible. Fernandes (1951) included 19 of Pugsley’s species under N. pseudonarcissus (leaving only 3 other species in the section); but in 1969 he restored 16 of these to specific rank. An intermediate treatment is attempted here, giving to N. pseudonarcissus a moderately wide circumscription and recogniz­ ing 7 subspecies within it, as well as 5 other species in the section. I Corona white to medium yellow

2 Pedicel 10-25 mm; corona white to very pale yellow

(c) subsp. moschatus 2 Pedicel 3-10 mm; corona pale to medium yellow

3 Corona 30-40 mm, distinctly expanded and usually lobed at margin (b) subsp. pallidiflorus 3 Corona 20-35 mm, scarcely expanded at margin and usually only slightly lobed (a) subsp. pseudonarcissus 1 Corona deep golden-yellow

4 Perianth-segments less than 20 mm

5 Perianth-segments twisted; corona expanded at margin

(e) subsp. major 5 Perianth-segments not twisted; corona not expanded at margin (g) subsp. nevadensis 4 Perianth-segments at least 20 mm

6 Perianth-segments whitish to medium yellow, paler than corona

7 Pedicel 8-15(-25)mm; corona distinctly expanded at margin; flowers horizontal or directed upwards

(d) subsp. nobilis 7 Pedicel 3-12 mm; corona scarcely expanded at margin; flowers horizontal or drooping (a) subsp. pseudonarcissus 6 Perianth-segments deep golden-yellow, almost the same colour as the corona

8 Leaves not more than 15 cm; perianth-segments not twisted (f) subsp. portensis 8 Leaves at least 20 cm; perianth-segments twisted

(e) subsp. major