THE DAFFODIL 



disappears ; and all these plants are daffodils, i.e^^ 

 they belong to the Daffodil family. 



The botanist's concern is merely whether these 

 plants have a superior or an inferior ovary ; a 

 matter of interest to botanists only, for it simply 

 relates to the situation of the ovary with regard to 

 the perianth, or petals and sepals. If these floral 

 parts come from below the ovary, the latter is said 

 to be superior, and the flower is then distinguished 

 as belonging to the Lily group. If the sepals and 

 petals have combined at their base, and united 

 themselves with the sides of the ovary, and there- 

 fore appear first from the top of the ovary, the 

 latter is said to be inferior ; and the flower is 

 placed with the Daffodil family. Thus the 

 daffodil, the snowdrop, and the snowflake all have 

 inferior ovaries ; while the lily-of-the-valley, the 

 bluebell, and other lily types have superior 

 ovaries. Apart from this difference, however, the 

 flowers, when structurally considered, are very 

 much alike. 



Why, then, does the botanist attach so much 

 importance to this apparently insignificant detail ? 

 When considering the little florets of the wild 

 camomile and the flowers of the primrose, I 

 pointed out that when petals coalesce to form a 

 tube it is a sign of advancement, for specialisation 

 is then taking place. Now, although the coloured 

 sepals and petals of the daffodil, the snowdrop, and 

 the snowflake all appear to be free, yet in reality 

 they are free only at their outer ends, for, as I 

 have already explained, they have united at their 



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