Key to Tasmanian Dicots
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Narcissus (Amaryllidaceae [formerly part of Liliaceae]) 4b:394    
Amaryllidaceae are a moderately large family of lily-like plants. They include several common garden plants.

The daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus (formerly known as N. gracile)) is a common garden plant that has become naturalised in Tasmania. The leaves are flat up to 50cm long and 5-15mm wide and occur at the base of the plant. The flowers are solitary, yellow, with six petals/sepals and a petaloid tube inside the petals/sepals.

Polyanthus (N. tazetta), often commonly called jonquil, is also a very common garden plant that is quite widely naturalised, especially on or near old garden sites. It has several flowers in the inflorescence, and much smaller coronas than daffodils. The petals and sepals are usually white, but may be yellow in cultivation.

This family was once considered to be part of Liliaceae, which was a very artificial grouping of plants and has therefore been splintered in numerous families. To see the fates of the other Tasmanian genera formerly in Liliaceae click here.

 
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