Taxonomic reassessment of Maltese Narcissus (Amaryllidaceae) : implications for species delimitation and conservation

Abstract

The genus Narcissus, renowned for its horticultural appeal and taxonomic intricacies, presents significant challenges in species delimitation. In section Tazeitae, and particularly with N. tazetta, 19th-century taxonomists frequently described new taxa based on minor morphological variations, occasionally resorting to numerical designations when epithets were scarce. In contrast, twentieth-century revisions tended to consolidate numerous taxa into single, broadly circumscribed species. For instance, according to World Flora Online, N. tazetta is associated with approximately 40 epithets (across various taxonomic ranks) that are currently treated as synonyms. [excerpt]