Narcissus jonquilla

Bulbs ovoid, 2-3 × 2-2.5 cm, tunic dark brown. Leaves 2-3(-4); blade dark green, channeled adaxially, nearly terete, 30-40 cm × 2-4 mm. Inflorescences umbellate, 1-2(-4)-flowered, 25-35 cm; spathe pale brown, 2-4 cm, papery. Flowers strongly fragrant; perianth 1.5-2.5 cm wide; perianth tube 2-2.5 cm, tapering gradually to base; distinct portions of tepals spreading to reflexed, bright golden yellow, ovate to oblanceolate, 0.4-0.6 × 0.8-1 cm, apex acute to mucronate; corona golden yellow, cup-shaped, 2-4 × 5-8 mm, apex ruffled; 3 short stamens included in perianth tube, 3 longer stamens and style exserted into mouth of corona; pedicel of variable length, to 4 cm. 2n = 14.

Flowering late winter--early spring. Roadsides, fields, waste places; 0--100 m; introduced; B.C.; Ala., Ark., Ga., Ill., La., Md., Miss., N.C., Ohio, S.C., Tex., Utah; sw Europe (c, s Spain; e, s Portugal); expected naturalized elsewhere.

Natural hybrids between Narcissus jonquilla and N. tazetta have been given the name N. ×intermedius Louisel. The leaves of these plants are intermediate in width between those of the two parents. The inflorescence is 3-6-flowered, and the flowers are uniformly bright yellow or with a darker corona. Such hybrids are known to persist in Louisiana and can be expected elsewhere in the flora area.

With 2-6 yellow fls 2-4 cm wide, the corona less than a fourth as long as the tep, rarely escape.

Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

©The New York Botanical Garden. All rights reserved. Used by permission.