[Rafa]

John there are several hybrids with N. viridiflorus, but it is a research field not very well studied. I am making crosses with N. viridiflorus, for my study of evolutive procces in Narcissus. I am crossing Bulbocodium section with N. viridiflorus. for the moment, I had succes  with N. bulbocodium subsp. validus x N. viridflorus, N. cantabricus x N.viridiflorus, and also with other species like N. jonquilla x N. viridiflorus, N. willkomii x N.viridiflorus and N. triandrus subsp. pallidulus x N. viridiflorus. All of them have fructified, but I only will see the results with luck in 3-5years.

I can send you some N. viridiflorus seeds.

Last pictures in the garden N. pallidiflorus and N.cyclamineus x N. cuatrcasasii

[John]

Sounds really fascinating. I enjoy hybridising plants. Hopefully we will see the results as they appear.
Thanks for the offer of the seeds which I would like but I REALLY don't have the space right now. I have quite a seed set on some of my Galanthus for which I don't have the room!

[Rafa]

Another species blooming in this week, Narcissus willkommii

[Alisdair]

Nice to see it growing in the open ground, Rafa - and your picture shows very well the exceptionally long tube which make its flowers so distinctive.
I find it very hard to believe that having such a long tube gives the plant any evolutionary advantage!

[ezeiza]

It is the fatality of evolving with a peculiar pollinator.

[John]

Are you saying that this species is dying out because it has lost it's pollinator or that it is at risk of doing so because it only has one or a very limited range of pollinators?

[Alisdair]

I doubt whether that is a reason for its dying out. Here under glass in the UK - very far from its natural range and therefore its usual pollinators - it sets plenty of seed without artificial pollination (I have a potful in a greenhouse that contains no other narcissi, in an effort to keep even open pollination true). I don't know what does pollinate it; though I have seen bumblebees scrambling around there, I suspect it may even be self-fertile.

[John]

Thinking about it don't most Narcissus have the stamens at the mouth of the corona?

[ezeiza]

Isn't the tube hollow?

[Alisdair]

Yes the tube is hollow (though very narrow). And John is right about pistil and stamens at the mouth. My Narcissus wilkommii are really over, but this late flower shows that clearly - even though the tube is more than three times longer than the diameter of the cup! And you can see them in Rafa's picture, above.

[ezeiza]

It was very striking to see on a TV documentary on Namaqualand plants in flower of Lapeirousia oreogena; these have very long narrow tubes. This common looking bee landed on the flower and produced an incredibly long proboscis that fit wholy into the flower tube in search of nectar. Then it took the proboscis out and moved to another flower where the procedure was repeated. It was evident that the tube served a purpose and that a particular pollinator was needed.

[Rafa]

Alisdair, seeing the corona of yor plant I would say it is other species. Do you have any picture of a complete plant?. I would said it is Narcissus cerrolazae, although Is not accepted this species, most of our colleagues in Spain support this species, and we did a folder in our Herbarium Virtual, here: http://www.biodiversidadvirtual.org/herbarium/Narcissus-cerrolazae-Urena-cat13330.html.

[Alisdair]

The best I can do is this rather cluttered photo I took when my pot was flowering last year - it's just finished this year so I can't take any more pictures.
What do you think, Rafa?

[Rafa]

Alisdar, I would say Narcissus cerrolazae Ureña.
Narcissus willkommii is another controverted species because there is not a clear border with the group fernandesii/jonquilla.

[Alisdair]

Thanks very much for that, Rafa; next year I'll try to post a better single-plant picture (and in the meantime do a bit of re-labelling!)