Would like to throw a spanner in the works of the posts around mid/late oct 2011, regarding the name Narcissus miniatus. Would appreciate comments, but the text goes to publication soon, so if you think that I may have missed something, please let me know.
Narcissus miniatus Donn.-Morg., Koop. & Zonn., Daffodil Snowdrop Tulip Yearb. 2005-2006: 22 (2005).
Taxonomy
This little plant has become the object of controversy since its publication in 2005.
Most recently it has been suggested that it should be considered as Narcissus obsoletus (Haw.) Spach, Hist. Nat. Veg. 12: 452 (1846). However, the descriptions given are not of the plant described and illustrated as Narcissus miniatus.
Spach in Histoire Naturelle des Végétaux vol. 12 p. 452 (1846) describes the plant as 2 flowered with very narrow, rush-like, leaves (junciformis). Perianth segments oval-oblong, pointed, overlapping (imbricate). Corona, small, yellow. At this point Spach refers to Haworth’s description of Hermione obsoleta. Supplementum Plantarum Succulentarum: 146 (1819).
Haworth describes the plant as the ‘Leafy Autumnal’, with leaves with or just before the flowers; perianth segments white, nearly ovate; corona small, rudimentary, becoming yellowish. Haworth also cedes to Parkinson, remarking that ‘This is admitted solely on the faith of Parkinson, and has not, that I know of, been seen in our day’.
In Paradisi in Sole Paradisus Terrestris (1629) John Parkinson writes of ‘Narcissus albus Autumnalis medio obsoletus. The white Autumne Daffodill with a sullen crowne. This Autumne Daffodill hath two or three leaves at the most, and very narrow, for that form does reckon it among the Rush Daffodils, being somewhat broad at the bottome, and more pointed at the toppe, betweene there leaves commeth up the stalk, bearing usually two flowers and no more at the toppe, made up of five white leaves apiece, pointed and not round: the cup is small and round, like unto the cup or crowne of the Rush Daffodill, of a yellow colour at the bottome, but towards the edge of a dunne or sullen colour’.
These descriptions vary considerably with the original description of Narcissus miniatus given below and cannot be considered to be synonymous with it.
Description
Bulb: 50 mm diam, dark brown, ovate.
Leaves: not present on flowering plants
Scape: 1 – 4, (80-) 120 -180 (-300 mm) x (1-) 1.5 – 3 (-4 mm) elongating after flowering, round, green, striated.
Flowers: (1) 2 – 4 (5-7) per scape, ascending or horizontal to 50mm diam. Tepals: white, apiculate to mucronate, flat or twisted, 10 – 25 mm x 3 – 10 mm. Corona; opening greenish-brown maturing to orange, to 3 mm x 0.5 – 2 mm high, 3 – 6 lobed. Pedicels; smooth, green (5-) 10 – 15 (-30 mm). Tube; 12 – 19 mm x 2 – 3 mm at widest point immediately below ovary, tapering gradually not inflated.
Anthers: Included
Style: Included
Fruit: A capsule 5.5 – 14.5 x 5 – 7.5 mm
Seed: black, angular 3 x 2 mm
Chrom: 2n = 30
DNA (pg): 50.5 (aver.)
Many morphological differences set this plant apart from other similar forms of
autumn flowering Narcissus. Narcissus elegans, which has leaves at flowering time
and N. serotinus, which has a single flower, with a yellow cup and an inflated tube.
DNA analysis suggests that Narcissus miniatus arose from the hybridisation of N.
serotinus with N. elegans and the subsequent doubling of the hybrid’s chromosome
number.
Distribution: Throughout the Mediterranean, especially the north coast and islands. It appears to be absent from Morocco and this may extend eastwards on the southern Mediterranean coast.
Flowering: September – October.