Narcissus asturiensis explained

Narcissus asturiensis, the pygmy daffodil,^[1] is a perennial bulbous plant native to the mountains of North Portugal and Spain, where it grows at altitudes up to 2000 m (6000 ft)., Kew sources consider the correct name to be Narcissus cuneiflorus.^[2]

This dwarf Narcissus is 7–12 cm (2.5– 5 in) tall and has small yellow flowers growing singly.

This is a threatened species in the wild, but it is amenable to cultivation.^[3] It can be grown as a cold hardy garden plant, needing vernalization (a period of cold weather) in order to flower. As a garden plant, it will bloom in late January or early February at low altitudes.

This plant contains a number of alkaloids including hemanthamine, hemanthidine, tazettine and epimacronine.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Narcissus asturiensis (13) pygmy daffodil Bulbs/RHS Gardening . 2022-03-15 . www.rhs.org.uk . en-gb.
2. Web site: Narcissus asturiensis (Jord.) Pugsley . Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2022-03-15 .
3. Santos . A. . Fidalgo F. . Santos I. . Salema R. . 2002 . In vitro bulb formation of Narcissus asturiensis, a threatened species of the Amaryllidaceae . Journal of Horticultural Science & Biotechnology . 77 . 2. 149–152 . 10.1080/14620316.2002.11511471 . 2002JHSB...77..149S . 87286906 .
4. Lewis . John R. . 2000. Amaryllidaceae, muscarine, imidazole, oxazole, thiazole and peptide alkaloids, and other miscellaneous alkaloids . Nat. Prod. Rep. . 17 . 1. 57–84 . 10.1039/a809403i. 10714899.