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| Online Flora of the Maltese Islands by Stephen Mifsud |
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Narcissus tazetta subsp. aequilimbus (Autumn French Daffodil) |
Narcissus tazetta subsp. aequilimbus (AMARYLLIDACEAE.)
Images for this profile are taken from the Maltese Islands after year 2000.
Website launch: Oct-2002
Taxonomic update: Aug-2026
Code update: Jul-2026 |
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| Nomenclature and General Information |
Species name : |
Narcissus tazetta subsp. aequilimbus(Herb.) Mifsud
Published in Diversity (Basel) 16(7)-397: 21 (2024) |
Synonyms :
(basionym or principal syn.) |
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Plant Family : |
Amaryllidaceae Jaume St.-Hil (The Daffodil or Amaryllis Family)
29 species from the Amaryllidaceae family are recorded from the Maltese Islands. | English name(s) : | Autumn French Daffodil |
Maltese name(s) : |
Narċis tal-ħarifa |
Status for Malta : |
Indigenous. Present on the Maltese islands before man |
Frequency : |
Very Common Common Frequent Scarce Rare Very rare Extinct |
Growth form : |
Germination type [info]: Monocotyledon
Raunkiaer lifeform [info]: Geophyte ( perennials bearing underground bulbs, tubers, rhizomes, stolons, etc. ) |
Legal Protection : |
Protected by law: Schedule VIII of [S.L. 549.44] (Exploitation subject to management measures) |
Red List (1989) : |
Not listed in the Red Data Book of the Maltese Islands |
Flowering Time : |
October – December |
Colour of Flowers: |
White |
Toxicity: |
Mildy toxic, can cause adverse conditions if consumed in large quantities |
Name Derivation : |
Narcissus: Literally means to numb, stun or paralyze, for the narcotic properties of several plants in this genus. In Greek mythology Narcissus was a handsome young man who rejected everyone who loved him. The goddess Nemesis punished him by making him fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. He couldn’t stop looking at himself and eventually fell in the pool and died, leaving behind a flower named after him. (Greek origin) - Read more.
tazetta subsp. aequilimbus: Of equal limbs, with reference to the tepals of the flowers which according to the author this daffodil has similar and uniform tepals perhaps with even margins. (Latin Origin).
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Planting in rural areas : |
Can be planted in rural areas according to ERA Guidelines |
Remarks : |
Early flowering forms of Narcissus tazetta growing in shallow soil in rocky ground were originally described from Malta by Herbert in 1837 under the name Hermione aequilimba. They differ slightly from the typical winter-flowering N. tazetta in habit, stature, flower size and numbers. A study on Narcissus occurring on the Maltese Islands was conducted by Mifsud and Lanfranco in 2024 and combined this taxon as N. tazetta subsp. aequilimba. The research paper can be downloaded in the links section further down this page. |
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Description, Habitat and Distribution | |
Botanical Description |
Bulbous perennial herb growing solitary or in loose clusters. Bulb ovoid, typically up to 40–50 mm in diameter. Leaves 4, oblong-linear, flat to slightly caniculate, green to glaucous, measuring approximately 20–46 cm long and 5–15 mm wide, often equalling or exceeding the scape length. The scape is erect, stout, about 20–45 cm tall, usually bearing 4–6 fragrant flowers. Flowers have white perianth segments, broadly ovate and spreading, 20–35 mm long. The corona is cup-shaped, golden yellow with a scalloped or sub-crenated margin, about 4–6 mm deep. Stamens are arranged in two whorls, with the upper whorl partially exserted but included within the corona. This subspecies is distinguished by its early-flowering (typically Oct-Nov), delicate stature and growth in garigue or rocky ground when compared to other subspecies of Narcissus tazetta. It was described from the Maltese Islands in the mid 19th C. where it was recently taxonomically appraised. | |
Habitat in Europe |
Garigue and rocky ground especially at valley sides or in the vicinity of the coast
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Preferred habitat in Malta |
Valley sides, garigue or rocky areas near the coast (but not very close to the sea)
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Distributional range |
Mediterranean region
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Distributional maps from various sources |
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Occurrences in Europe
(from Flora Europaea till 1993) |
Mt
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Occurrences in Europe
(from Euro+Med Checklist till 2024)
Country codes
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Not listed in the Euro+Med PlantBase (last checked: July 2026)
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| Links & Further literature
(6 papers) |
Google Web |
Google Images |
Google Scholar |
Research Gate |
Wikipedia |
JSTOR |
GBIF |
Med Checklist |
Cat. of Life |
EoL |
IPNI |
World Flora Online |
Plants of the World Online |
Vienna Virt. Herb. |
RBGE Herbarium |
KEW Herbarium |
MNHN |
Garden Database |
IUCN |
TROPICOS | |
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Sales and Donations
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Sales of seeds of wild plant from Malta: Seeds of selected wild plant species may be available for academic studies, research purposes, or personal use. Please note that not all species can be supplied or exported. Availability is subject to seasonal seed production, stock levels, and applicable regulations, including Maltese legislation and CITES requirements where relevant. Protected and endemic species cannot be sold (at least without the relevant environmental permits).
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Atlas Flora Europaea
WFO Distribution map
