NARCISSUS 



THE BULB BOOK 



NAKCISSUS 



bulbs of varying sizes, by their long 

 narrow strap - shaped, or pipe-like 

 (fistular) leaves, and by the white or 

 yellow flowers having six spreading 

 segments, with a central corona or 

 trumpet, varying in size from a 

 shallow saucer-like organ to a large 

 tubular bell-shaped or cylindrical 

 body. 



From a botanical point of view 

 the genus Narcissus has been brought 

 into a state of hopeless confusion by 

 the hybridising operations of the 

 gardener. Formerly there were 

 fairly well-marked sections, and the 

 veteran botanist, Mr J. G. Baker, in 

 his Handbook on the Amarylltdece, 

 endeavoured to bring order out of 

 chaos by dividing the members of 

 the genus into three main groups as 

 follows : — 



1. Magni-coronati, in which the 



corona was funnel-shaped or 

 cylindrical, and as long as the 

 perianth segments, 



2. Medio-coronati, in which the 



corona was cup-shaped, and 

 about half as long as the 

 perianth segments. 



3. PARVi-coRONATr, in which the 



corona was small, obconic, or 



saucer-shaped. 

 With the innumerable hybrids and 

 garden forms that have been evolved 

 during the past twenty years, the 

 above classification no longer holds 

 good except for the species and 

 varieties which gave rise to it. One 

 may, however, take the Mogador 

 Narciss (iV. Broussoneti) as repre- 

 senting one extreme of the " Parvi- 

 coronati" group, and the best 

 varieties of the Ajax or Pseudo- 

 narcissus group as the extreme on 

 the side of the "Magni-coronati" 

 section. Between these two extremes 

 there are countless variations, not 

 only in the size and shape of the 

 corona, but also in the flowers them- 



selves. At one time it was 

 to divide the Narcissi into two more 

 or less natural groups, namely— (i.) 

 those having only otie flower on a 

 stem, and (ii.) those having two or 

 more flowers on a stem. But even 

 this division has been broken down 

 by the hybridist, and the two sec- 

 tions have been successfully crossed 

 and intercrossed. Indeed, one of the 

 most charming and distinct groups 

 raised in this way is the one to which 

 the name "Poetaz" has been given. 

 The name is most appropriate, as it 

 conveys information in regard to the 

 origin of these plants which have 

 arisen by crossing forms of the Poet's 

 Narciss {Narcissus jjoeticiis) with 

 forms of the Bunch or Polyanthus 

 Narciss (iV. Tazetta). More is said 

 of this group farther on. 



Another new and charming group 

 is that which is now known under 

 the name of " Englehearti " Daffodils. 

 This commemorates the careful work 

 and breeding on scientific lines that 

 have been carried on for quite a 

 quarter of a century by Mr G. H. 

 Engleheart. He has paid special 

 attention to the improvement of the 

 forms of N. poeticus, and as stated 

 in my Practical Guide to Garden 

 Flaiits ten years ago, "his labours 

 have been rewarded with some of 

 the finest, purest, and most charming 

 varieties." 



The annexed diagrams of five 

 distinct types of Narcissus will show 

 at a glance the differences between 

 the size and shape of the corona (C), 

 the length and width of the perianth- 

 tube, and the way in which the 

 stamens are attached. In the Poet's 

 Narcissus it will be noticed that the 

 corona is very small and shallow, 

 while the tube is long and cylindrical. 

 The nearest approach to this type is 

 to be found in the Bunch or Poly- 

 anthus Narcissus, JSf. Tazetta, of which 



359 



