Greek zephyros – the west wind, anthos – flower, referring to the origin of this genus in the Western Hemisphere.
Perennial herbs with small bulbs and hollow flower stems. Leaves linear, persistent or not, the annual leaves usually with the flowers. Spathes united and tubular below the middle. Flower regular with tube of variable length with 6 lobes, 3 inner slightly narrower than the 3 outer. Stamens attached at the flower mouth. Ovary 3-chambered. Fruit capsule papery and containing many black seeds.
Species with long flower tubes are sometimes recognised as the genus Cooperia.
Offsets.
Spathes 1 or 2; corona absent; perianth simple and symmetric; stamens of equal length, more or less straight and spreading.
About 50 species from SE USA to the West Indies and Argentina.
Sealy (1937), Herklots (1980).
Source: (2005). Narcissus. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
