A new (Sub)Species or just an anomaly

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A new (Sub)Species or just an anomaly

Post by MWP admin »

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I have encountered this Narcissus flower which should be the Narcisus serotinus (Late Narcisus) but there is one strange thing about it ! Usually these flowers have 6 tepals (or petals to keep it simple), but this one have 8 !!!

My question is if it is some new species / subspecies or if it is just an abnormality / mutation that caused the flower to have 8 petals instead of 6!
Last edited by MWP admin on Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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HC Weber
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Post by HC Weber »

Hi- it is a so-called teratology, an anomaly which happens in the Liliidae (Lilis, Tulips, Narcissus etc.) fairly often; I found N. serotinus with 5 sepals (instead of 6) 2 years ago. Regards, HC
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