Nanstallon is another trumpet (1 Y-Y) with black apical spots, open now. The spots do not show in The Grange, Bell Rock, Goldfinger, or Golden Horn. Among other Division 2 that I checked, Casterbridge and Bob Spotts do not show the black tips.
It is true that the visibility of the tips varies with variety and with age of the anther. Some I can spot from a distance, whereas others take a close look and good illumination. The Pampaluna bloom with the most prominent spots and the split lower petal, of which John posted the portrait shot, opened about March 19. The others opened later. His photos were taken yesterday, March 31.
If I had to make a wild guess I’d say that 5%-20% of 1s & 2s would have black tips, and maybe more of the 11a split cups. In all, I have about 350 varieties; of these, 58 are Div 1 cultivars.
Here is what I can do: next year when daffodil season begins, I can check each type as it opens. Also, when time permits, I can make a more exhaustive search of my photos, as I do try to photograph each type as it opens. Even with my little point-and-shoot camera, the resolution and focus are usually good enough to reveal that level of detail.
Perhaps others whose bloom season is just beginning can join in the search and take note of varieties that show the characteristic.
The configuration of anthers in Division 3 blooms is quite different, and seems to resemble what is found in poeticus. I haven’t yet found any with the poeticus configuration with black tips.
What did you infer from the distinctly bi-lobed configuration of the pollen in the Ffitch’s Folly?
Melissa
At 01:36 AM 4/1/2008, you wrote:
Dear Melissa Can you make and estimation of how many trumpet daffodils you checked to find these seven black spotted ones?