Narcissus February 2015

[Rafa]

This is name battle, but the fact is that there are 6 species in Peninsula Iberica of jonquil, for the moment. It is possible new (TRUE!!) species in our country and also in our brother country Portugal. Peniunsula Iberica always surprise...

These are the plants:

Narcissus jonquilla
Narcissus fernandesii
Narcissus willkommii
Narcissus gaditanus
Narcissus assoanus
Narcissus cerrolazae

Also there is another plant called "N. baeticus" which is in fact a N. assoanus with longger perianth tube that grows in Córdoba. Also there is another little assoanus called rivas-martinezii, but are there so important and different characters to give them such a taxonomical value? I don't think so. Maybe variants, or subsp. as maximum level, to me.

Same case with N. iohannis. To me it is another subsp. from N. triandrus, not a species.

N. moschatus, moleroi, alpestris.... to me are the same species.

[ashley]

N. moschatus, moleroi, alpestris.... to me are the same species.

They are very distinct in my garden Rafa, but I haven't seen the range of variability in the wild.

Is N. cordubensis now sunk in N. fernandesii?

[Rafa]

Maybe this name is accepted in KEW, IPNI etc.. but we studied the type locality of N. cordubensis, and that we found is a huge population of N. fernandesii.
I have aslo noticed that the plant that it was introduced as N. cordubensis (probably collected in Grazalema) is Narcissus cerrolazae. Many of yours are growing this plant under a wrong name. This is the picture from the Narcissus cordubensis type locality, as you can see, it is just a N. fernandesii. In my oppinion this species, is not valid. And the other picture is from my friend Joaquín Ramírez, I distroyed it a little bit to show you the most important characters, marked in red. This plant was described a long time ago, and the "authorities" in this fieldand rejected it just saying "no, it is Narcissus jonquilla" ?¿?¿!!! without beeing sumitting to testing with the scientific method. The person who describe it, used the Scientific Method, desmostrating rigorously with evidences of its validity.
We don't know exactly the distribution range of this species.

[annew]

I have the plant you call Narcissus cerrolazae! But on the internet it says this is a synonym of Narcissus flavus 

[Rafa]

Here is the paper http://www.serraniavirtual.com/download/pdf/NUEVA%20ESPECIE%20DEL%20G%C3%89NERO%20NARCISUS.pdf.

Now everything is 'flavus'.... no comments.

[Rafa]

KEW, RHS etc... should list Narcissus cerrolazae as accepted species, because it's a very good species, easy to recognize if you know a little bit the spanish and portuguese plants of this genus.

[mark smyth]

As quickly as they opened in recent warmth my green house Narcissus are going over 

[mark smyth]

Rafa it is fascinating to see your native Narcissus and their hybrids

[annew]

Here is the paper http://www.serraniavirtual.com/download/pdf/NUEVA%20ESPECIE%20DEL%20G%C3%89NERO%20NARCISUS.pdf.

Now everything is 'flavus'.... no comments.

I can't access the paper from the link. It is frustrating for all when an agreement cannot be made on names. A very big symposium is needed! With ALL botanists invited.
Even as gardeners, it is difficult to call plants with the same name when they seem to be so distinct. As a nursery person, I wonder how to tell my customers what they are buying!

[Matt T]

Try this link, Anne: http://www.serraniavirtual.com/download/pdf/NUEVA%20ESPECIE%20DEL%20G%C3%89NERO%20NARCISUS.pdf

[annew]

  Thanks, Matt. I think I understood the Latin bits better than the Spanish, to my shame.

[Maggi Young]

Here is the paper http://www.serraniavirtual.com/download/pdf/NUEVA%20ESPECIE%20DEL%20G%C3%89NERO%20NARCISUS.pdf.

Now everything is 'flavus'.... no comments.

can't get that link to work -  but found this : http://www.montecorto.com/info/narcissus.pdf

[Matt T]

I think there may a problem with some browsers or other www-techie-widgets recognising the script, changing 'É' to '%C3%89'. It seems to occur intermittently for me. Thankfully your second link takes us to the same paper problem-free...now to brush up the Spanish...

[Rafa]

Thanks Maggy 

[Matt T]

I read somewhere recently (brain will slowly recall the source at some point - might have been Jefferson-Brown?) that if you find a pollen parent isn't successful or has poor fertility you can try microwaving the pollen for a few seconds then mixing it with fresh pollen before applying it to the stigma. Sounds a bit 'Frankenstein', but there might be some science behind it that could make it work?

I think I've found the source where I read about the microwaving trick: http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Albuca

Two clones are often necessary to produce seeds but exceptions such as Albuca spiralis do exist. In the event that only a single clone exists, seeds can be made by microwaving the pollen for 15-20 seconds, then mixing with fresh pollen and applied twice a day to the pistil for several days.