THE NARCISSUS. 



WILLIAM KERR HIGLEY, 

 Secretary of The Chicago Academy of Sciences. 



THE genus of plants called Nar- 

 cissus, many of the species of 

 which are highly esteemed by 

 the floriculturist and lover of 

 cultivated plants, belongs to the Ama- 

 ryllis family {Amaryllidacece.') 



This family includes about seventy 

 genera and over eight hundred species 

 that are mostly native in tropical or 

 semi-tropical countries, though a few 

 are found in temperate climates. 



Many of the species are sought for 

 ornamental purposes and, on account 

 of their beauty and remarkable odor, 

 they are more prized by many than 

 are the species of the Lily family. 



In this group is classed the Ameri- 

 can Aloe iyAgave americafia) valued not 

 only for cultivation, but also by the 

 Mexicans on account of the sweet fluid 

 which is yielded by its central bud. 

 This liquid, after fermentation, forms 

 an intoxicating liquor known as pulque. 

 By distillation, this yields a liquid, very 

 similar to rum, called by the Mexicans 

 mescal. The leaves furnish a strong 

 fiber, known as vegetable silk, from 

 which, since remote times, paper has 

 been manufactured. 



The popular opinion is that this plant 

 flowers but once in a century; hence the 

 name "Century Plant" is often applied 

 to it, though under proper culture it 

 will blossom more frequently. 



Other plants of equal economic and 

 historic interest, but less known, belong 

 to this family. It is said that one spe- 

 cies furnished the fluid used by the 

 Hottentots for poisoning their arrows. 



The genus Narcissus derives its name 

 from a Greek word meaning "stupor" 

 because of the narcotic effect pro- 



duced by the odor and by portions of 

 the plants of some species. 



There are about twenty-five species, 

 chiefly natives of southern Europe, but 

 some of them, either natural or modi- 

 fied by the gardener's art, are world- 

 wide in cultivation. 



Blossoming early in the season they 

 are frequently referred to as "harbin- 

 gers of spring." The flowers are hand- 

 some, large, varying in color from yel- 

 low to white and sometimes marked 

 with crimson. They are usually borne 

 on a nearly naked stem. Some of the 

 species are very fragrant. The leaves 

 are elongated, nearly sword-shaped and 

 usually about a foot in length, rising 

 from the bulbous underground stem. 



Among the forms that are familiar 

 are the daffodils, the jonquils, and the 

 poet's narcissus. 



An interesting feature in the struc- 

 ture of the flowers is the cup or crown,, 

 which is found at the base of the flower 

 segments. The length and character 

 of this is an important feature in the 

 separation of the species. 



In Grecian mythology Narcissus was 

 the son of the river god, Cephissus. He 

 failed to return the love of the moun- 

 tain nymph, Echo, which so grieved 

 her that she pined away till nothing re- 

 mained but her voice, which gave back: 

 with absolute fidelity all sounds ut- 

 tered in the hills and dales. 



Narcissus was punished for this by- 

 Aphrodite, who caused him to love his; 

 own image as it was reflected in the 

 water of a neighboring fountain. "Con- 

 sumed with unrequited love, he too, 

 wasted away and was changed into the 

 flower which bears his name." 



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