Narcissus × briffae

Narcissus × briffae is a naturally-occurring hybrid daffodil in the family Amaryllidaceae. Its parents are N. deficiens and N. tazetta subsp. aequilimbus, and it is found through the Mediterranean where those species co-occur.^[1] This hybrid was first discovered in 2023 in Gozo, where it had previously been misidentified as Narcissus elegans.^[2]

Narcissus × briffae grows in clusters of 25–70 plants, each with 2–5 flowers at the end of a scape about 30 cm long. Each plant has one or two narrow leaves, which are 3–5 mm wide, fleshy, and present during anthesis. A basal sheath extends 10 mm above the ground.^[2]

Flowering occurs in Malta from the end of October to the beginning of November, depending on the first autumnal rains. The flowers have a delicate scent. The tepals are cream-colored, lanceolate or obovate in shape, and about 10 mm long and 5 mm wide. The lemon-colored corona is about 4 mm wide, and while it is more or less circular, it has three notches, dents or creases or assumes a slightly trigonal outline.^[2]

Plants are generally sterile, with pollen that is mostly (90%) shriveled and dysfunctional. The fruiting pods fall prematurely or lack viable seeds, although in very rare cases a few seeds can be seen.^[2]

The type specimen of Narcissus × briffae was collected by Maltese botanist Stephen Misfud in 2023 near Ħondoq ir-Rummien in Qala, Malta, where it was growing within 100 m of both parent species.^[2] Misfud formally described the hybrid in 2024 and named it after Maltese naturalist Michael Briffa, who dedicated most of his life researching and exploring local biodiversity, namely plants and fungi.^[2][3]