Narcissus September - December 2009

[Maggi Young]

Thank you, Kees!!

[Kees Jan]

Here is another papyraceus picture. Photgraphed in coastal dunes N of Rabbat. By the way, can anyone tell me if the the cultivated paperwhite narcissus are selections of this species, or of hybrid origin?

[Gerdk]

Here are a few Narcissus photographed in Morocco in late October early November...

Kees Jan, Thank you so much!
Must have been a wonderful trip!
Because this species became very rare on the other side - is Narcissus viridiflorus growing frequently near Tangiers?

Gerd

[art600]

Some Narcissus taken in the bulb house on December 12th.

First is a pot of Camoro, the other is unknown - suggestions please

[Ian Y]

First is a pot of Camoro, the other is unknown - suggestions please

Art, your unknown Narcissus would appear to have a flange to the corona and I would say it is very similar to the one I show in this weeks Bulb Log as Narcissus albidus.

Or to give it its full name Narcissus romieuxii ssp. albidus var zaianicus.

[art600]

Ian

Thanks for the identification - now better understand what you meant by a flange 

[Sinchets]

Like a trifle I think, but without the sherry, Arthur.

[Rafa]

very nice pictures Kees, thank you!

[Kees Jan]

Gerd,

I would say N. viridiflorus is quite threatened in Morocco, because it is restricted to lowland situations that are under threat from Urban development. I believe it mainly grows on the Tanger Peninsula). We only found it on three locations, all near or under threat of urban development. I think this is also true for cavanillesii. N. elegans is more common (and has a much wider distribution).

[Gerry Webster]

Narcissus romieuxii var. zaianicus ‘Selected Form’

This is the name under which this plant was received from Rannveig Wallis.
I presume it is what John Blanchard & Jim Archibald  call N. romieuxii subsp. albidus var. zaianicus. but both Blanchard & Archibald suggest that this name has little botanical significance. Perhaps it should be regarded as yet another form of the infinitely variable N. romieuxii - to my eyes the only distinguishing feature is the green spathe.
Not a particularly exciting plant.

[Gerdk]

Gerd,

I would say N. viridiflorus is quite threatened in Morocco, because it is restricted to lowland situations that are under threat from Urban development. I believe it mainly grows on the Tanger Peninsula). We only found it on three locations, all near or under threat of urban development. I think this is also true for cavanillesii. N. elegans is more common (and has a much wider distribution).

Kees Jan,
Thank you - unfortunately the same situation as in Southern Spain. It seems we only were able to come upon the remainders of a former extensive distribution.

Gerd

[Anthony Darby]

Here a plot of land earmarked for development a few years ago had over 1000 cowslip clumps removed and relocated. The land is still undeveloped, and to my mind looks less and less suitable for cowslips as each year passes, being covered in larger herbaceous plants such as rosebay willowherb. Developers now (may?) have to have extensive ecological studies to see what is there and employ environmental scientists to see how to minimise the damage caused. Window dressing, perhaps, especially when you see a housing estate being built on a greenfield site, cynically named "Royal Meadows" (Cambusbarron, near Stirling). Well it may have been, but it ain't now!

[Rafa]

It is a shame... at least, in Spain most of Narcissi have any level of legal protection, although they infringe it all the time, specially local authorities precisely to help developers. I collected seeds of N. viridiflorus recently in Cadiz and I was shocked by Novo Sancti Petri, a good example of "The Age of Non Sense". But I think Malaga coast is the Queen of non sense, a really nightmare for nature lovers.

I hope this all this development don't affect much to N. tingitanus, an species that I never seen.

[Rafa]

This is the plant that we call Narcissus albicans. As you can see it staring to bloom pale yellow and finish with white/cream colour. It smells very similar to N. cantabricus.

And Merry Christmans!

Note:

Some other interesting aspects of this species is that it could be the early bloomer in the wild, in Spain (from Bulbocodium section) before N. cantabricus and N. hedraeanthus). Also its ecology is different, it prefers sunny places in rocky granit fisures.

Concerning hybrids, N. x litigiosus (old N. x susannae) correspond to the hybrid between N. albicans and N. concoclor (N. triandrus subsp. pallidulus). So the cross between N. cantabricus and N. conclor = N.x matritensis.
 

[Diane Whitehead]

I received this as zaianicus albus.