Narcissus May 2007

[Rafa]

Hello,

I've found yesterday this rare Narcissus bulbocodium, very scented and different from Narcissus nivalis which is the the species (together with Narcissus graellsii), that we can see in my region from Bulbocodium Section.
It's a little group (about 300 plants) in this huge rocky place of neis.

[Paddy Tobin]

Rafa,

A good find. Great photographs, many thanks.

Each time you post these photographs from the mountains I am amazed at the conditions in which the narcissus grow.

Paddy

[Ian Y]

Thanks again Rafa for sharing your wonderful discovery through your superb pictures.
It is such a pleasure to see these plants growing in their habitat which as Paddy says often surprises us - so different to how we grow them in cultivation.

[Anthony Darby]

Wonderful pics Rafa. What a pity we don't have scratch and sniff on our computer screens.

[afw]

Rafa

Would it be possible to return to the sight later to collect seed? If it is that different, scented, it would be worthwhile I think.

afw

[Maggi Young]

Ian and I are still marvelling at this lovely little community of flowers.....thank you ,Rafa, for allowing us this treat. It is terrific to see these plants making their home in this restricted spot and succeeding there.

[Paddy Tobin]

Indeed, Maggi,

It is one of those exceptional delights of nature. I suppose our appreciation of how special these photographs of Rafa's are comes from our experience of growing (or in my case, attempting to grow) these wonderful plants. It really is a great treat to have Rafa post these photographs. Despite how everyday this technology is, it is still marvellous to have such a photograph from a mountain in Spain directly onto our screens in the comfort of our homes.

Many thanks Rafa,

Paddy

[Rafa]

Many thanks to all for your compliments,

These plants are very strong indeed, since they live in impossible conditions. As you could see in the pictures, the habitat was reduce to a 3-15 cm layer of moss, on top of a rock slope. Apart from 3 months during the summer the rest of the year they are almost underwater, and also the temperatures can go as low as -22š in winter time.

I 've been talking to a Narcissus expert, and he considers that it's a Narcissus nivalis (seeing the pictures), but since I am very use to see N. nivalis in almost every fild in the village, these ones in particular, strike me as unusual.

I base my theory, as follows.

Apart from all the thigs I've said before. There is one thing that makes it almost impossible for these plants to escape and to expand from this rock "castle": in about 2km square there is not substrate or moss as it happens in this particular rock, were the water emanates. The rest is like gravel the size of a sofa, bare of moss, with only leeches.

Needless to say I will collect seeds to donate to my friends of SRGC!!

[tonyg]

Thanks Rafa - great pics, great info, great to see them!

[Ian Y]

Rafa, that is exactly what I was saying to Maggi. These bulbs are imprisoned in their tiny habitat surrounded by inhospitable conditions. The population must have selected and refined itself over many generations to growing there.
I thought that part of the description that separates Narcissus bulbocodium nivalis is that the style and anthers should be strongly exerted - they seem to be fully contained in your beautiful subject.
It is my belief that Narcissus are a relatively young genus and so are still speciating at a steady rate -what ever their taxonomy they are very desirable.
The other lesson from this habitat is that when they are in full growth and flowering narcissus need very generous amounts of water.

[annew]

I've again enjoyed joining you in your travels, Rafa. Wonderful pictures, and as you say, such a very exact set of conditions has isolated this little community, which must be very inbred. Little wonder they are different from their relatives elsewhere.

[Rafa]

I certenlly agree with you Ian, even more (although I might be talking without much proof).The site itīs clearly a sceanary of receased glaciers from the last ice age,therefore they might be there since then or so, like other ancien narcissus like N. asturiensis subsp. villarvildensis. Another aspect that striked me as unusual, was that, being such a small group of narcissus rupicola ,there were not any hybrids, and I think that is strange since the bulbocodium   is a very good receptor, and where ever it apears, it is not unusual to find hibryds between N.rupicula or N.pallidulus.This could suggest that, at this high altitude, insects might be more especialized towards different spicies, modifying in this way the morfology of the N.bulbocodium.

Anne, I'm glad you appreciate them, I will ask my friend if he can have a closer look at this narcissus, I think itīs quite interesting and rare, too.

[mark smyth]

while planting summer bedding this time last year I unearthed a few Narcissus bulbs and left them sitting thinking I'll replant them later. Of course as the bedding grew I forgot about them until the bedding came out again by which time they bulbs had rooted. This week the bedding was going in and I lifted the bulbs that were lying on the surface since last year. Just look at the contractile roots. This bulb had been pulled in to half it's depth. The normal roots were dead but the contractile roots were still white

[mark smyth]

Earlier this week I also took this photo. See how it's rubbing in hands feet saying "bring it on big lad". I won and later managed to hit a mating pair in the air with the fly swat