NARCISSUS PSEUDONARCISSUS
Common Names:- Wild daffodil, Lent lily.
Homotypic synonyms:- Ajax pseudonarcissus.
Meaning:- Narcissus (Gr) After a youth in Greek mythology.
Pseudonarcissus (Gr) "Pseudo" = False. So False narcissus.
General description:- A bulbous perennial herb.
Bulb:-
1) Ovoid, tunicated.
Stems:-
1) Up to 30-35 cm high, leafless.
Leaves:-
1) Linear, flat, slightly keeled, and grey-green, rising from the base.
Flowers:-
1) Solitary, pendulous, and horizontal-to-declinate.
2) Perianth, Comprising of six spreading or reflexed pale yellow outer segments
that often appear slightly twisted.
3) Corona, with a central, darker yellow, cylindrical trumpet that is slightly frilled or
lobed at the margin.
4) Stamens, 6, inserted within the tube.
5) Ovary, inferior 3 celled, maturing into a dry, dehiscent capsule.
Fruit:-
1) Capsule, dehiscent, containing numerous black seeds.
Toxicity:- Toxic in all its parts, with the highest concentration of harmful
compounds found in the bulb.
Habitat:- Damp meadows, open grasslands, and ancient deciduous woodlands
Distribution:- Western Europe, stretching from Spain and Portugal north to England
and Wales, and east to Germany.Native across parts of Great Britain and the
Channel Islands, with core native strongholds in south-west England, the West
Midlands, and parts of Wales.
Flowering time:- Early spring, typically March to April
Status:- Classified as Least Concern on the GB Red List
Photos by:- Saxifraga - Free nature images