Narcissus papyraceus
| Paperwhite | |
|---|---|
| Paperwhite, Narcissus papyraceus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Amaryllidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Amaryllidoideae |
| Genus: | Narcissus |
| Species: | N. papyraceus |
| Binomial name | |
| Narcissus papyraceus Ker-Gawl. | |
| Distribution in Spain and Portugal | |
Narcissus papyraceus (from papyrus and aceus; meaning paper-like), one of a few species known as paperwhite, is a perennial bulbous plant native to the Mediterranean region, from Greece to Portugal plus Morocco and Algeria. The species is considered naturalized in the Azores, Corsica, Texas, California and Louisiana. The white flowers are borne in bunches and are strongly fragrant. It is frequently grown as a house plant, often forced to flower at Christmas.
Paperwhites are part of the genus Narcissus which includes plants known as daffodils.