We hope you have enjoyed the SRGC Forum. You can make a Paypal donation to the SRGC by clicking the above button

Author Topic: Narcissus nomenclature  (Read 1433 times)

ChrisB

  • SRGC Subscription Secretary
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2370
  • Country: gb
Narcissus nomenclature
« on: April 10, 2010, 07:39:24 PM »
Hi,  I bought a pot of 'grass' at the Cleveland Show last week from the members table.  When I looked at the label it says Narcissus bulbocodium Zaianicus.  I can't find this in the Plantfinder or the AGS encyclopedia so I think the name must be wrong somehow.  It had no flowers and looked like it had been grown from seed.  Funny thing is, I bought a similar pot in 2006 from the AGS table at the Ponteland Show with exactly the same name, though last Saturday I didn't know that....  Does anyone know if it is a valid name please?
Chris Boulby
Northumberland, England

Roma

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2353
  • Country: scotland
Re: Narcissus nomenclature
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2010, 08:44:32 PM »
Hi Chris,  all the Narcissus experts must be otherwise engaged.  I've grown N. zaianicus from seed and bulbs.  It's full name is Narcissus romieuxii ssp. albidus var. zaianicus
Roma Fiddes, near Aberdeen in north East Scotland.

Gerry Webster

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2571
  • Country: gb
Re: Narcissus nomenclature
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2010, 09:28:38 PM »
The nomenclature of these little hoop petticoats is chaotic. RBG Kew do not accept either N. bulbocodium var. zaianicus  nor N. romieuxii subsp. albidus var. zaianicus; they regard both as synonyms  of N. romieuxii subsp. albidus. In his monograph on Narcissus John Blanchard is ambivalent about N. romieuxii subsp. albidus var. zaianicus while Jim Archibald claims that "the name is not worth much." I'd be inclined to settle for plain N. romieuxii.
By the way, I'm not a "Narcissus Expert."
Gerry passed away  at home  on 25th February 2021 - his posts are  left  in the  forum in memory of him.
His was a long life - lived well.

ChrisB

  • SRGC Subscription Secretary
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2370
  • Country: gb
Re: Narcissus nomenclature
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2010, 10:19:18 PM »
Thanks for your help!  This explains why it does not appear in the Plantfinder.  Guess I will just use N. romieuxii then.
Chris Boulby
Northumberland, England

Regelian

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 943
  • Country: de
  • waking escapes the dream
Re: Narcissus nomenclature
« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2010, 10:08:48 PM »
Chris,

according to Zonneveld, this is simply N. romieuxi ssp albidus.  As the species may well represent an ancient allotetraploid hybrid of N. bulbocodium x N. cantabricus, the variations often noted as varieties and subspecies would be expected.  To my eyes, the few plants I've seen of romieuxii are all very similar and do not merit seperation, but, then, I am more a lumper than splitter.
Jamie Vande
Cologne
Germany

 


Scottish Rock Garden Club is a Charity registered with Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR): SC000942
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal