ABSTRACT
The genus Narcissus L. belongs to the Monocotyledon family Amaryllidaceae, to which it contributes some 80 species to its total of about 850 species in 60 genera (Meerow and Snijman, 1998). The taxonomy of Narcissus is difficult because of the ease with which hybridisation occurs naturally, accompanied by extensive cultivation, breeding, selection, escape and naturalisation (Webb, 1980; see Chapter 3, this volume). The genus is distinguished from other Amaryllids by the presence of a perigonal corona structure (‘paraperigone’) forming a ring (‘cup’) or tube (‘trumpet’) (Dahlgren et al., 1985). Unlike other genera of the family, Narcissus has a mainly Mediterranean distribution, with a centre of diversity in the Iberian Peninsula, and the genus also occurs in south-western France, northern Africa and eastwards to Greece, while Narcissus tazetta is found not only in Spain and North Africa but in a narrow band to China and Japan (Grey-Wilson and Mathew, 1981). The eastwards distribution of N. tazetta may represent transfer along an ancient trade route, illustrating the long human interest in the genus as an ornamental plant, leading to its importance in commercial horticulture today (see Chapter 4, this volume).
