Brian:
The two are quite easy to distinguish. But first, N. obsoletus is the correct name for what we call N. elegans and has precedence. We will discuss that in the Autumn Flowering Daffodils book when it eventually comes out.
Narcissus serotinus has a corona that is lemon-yellow and composed of six discrete lobes. Narcissus miniatus has a corona that is normally orange and is either composed of three lobes or is entire. When it is entire the corona is more or less triangular. Nearly all of the books on Mediterranean flora are incorrect and use the name N. serotinus instead of N. miniatus. There are other differences as well and these were pointed out in the RHS yearbook when we sorted out the differences between the two and described N. miniatus officially but the RHS did a poor job editorially and screwed up the article. Corrections were made in the Yearbook published the following year.
Harold
What “Autumn Flowering Daffodils” book? How soon? Intriguing…
Loyce McKenzie