NARCISSUS NERTERA. 



183 



shaped, acute, very slightly paler than 

 the crown, which is about ^ in. deep, 

 slightly plaited ; usually two blooms 

 on a stem. Leaves, 3 to 4 to each 

 stem, nearly 1 ft. long ; not flat or 

 strap-shaped like most of the common 

 kinds, but concave on the face and 

 convex on the back, and usually 

 bright green. Bulb egg-shaped, gene- 

 rally more than 1 in. thick. Native 

 of S. France, Spain, Italy, and Dal- 



matia. Borders, fringes of beds of 



shrubs, the rougher parts of the rock- 

 garden, in sandy well-drained soil. 

 Also suitable for naturalization on 

 sunny sheltered banks in half-wild 

 places. Division. 



Narcissus poeticus (Poet's Narcissus). 

 A beautiful and well-known garden 

 flower, sold abundantly in the 

 streets of London in May; 12 to 

 16 in. high. Flowers, late in spring 

 and in early summer ; one, rarely two, 

 blooms to a stem ; outer divisions 

 pure white, broadest towards the 

 point, slightly overlapping each other ; 

 crown about a line deep, saucer- 

 shaped, very much crisped, with a 

 bright scarlet edge. Leaves, flat, with 

 a blunt keel, greyish, of about the 

 same length as the flower-stem. Bulb 

 egg-shaped, more than 1 in. thick 

 when well grown. Southern Europe, 

 from France to Greece. N. angusti- 

 folia, and one or two other kinds 

 resemble this ; N. poetarum is 



the larger variety. Suitable for 



borders, fringes of shrubberies, and 

 any position in which the Common 

 Daffodil will grow, in almost any soil. 

 This plant deserves to be abundantly 

 naturalized in grassy places, by wood- 

 walks, and on sunny banks and slopes 

 where the grass is not mown till late 

 in summer, or not at all. Division. 



Narcissus tenuior (Slender Narcissus}. 

 A slender species, about 8 in. 

 high. Flowers, late in spring ; 1 \ in. 

 across, light yellow, usually in pairs, 



with a shallow deep orange cup ; tube 

 1 in. long. Leaves, few, grass -like, 

 about 7 in. long. Native country 



unknown. Rockwork and front 



margin of borders, in sandy soil. Di- 

 vision. 



Narcissus tortuosus (Twisted Daffo- 

 dil). A. graceful, distinct kind ; 9 to 

 12 in. high. Flowers, early in spring ; 

 external divisions, whitish, nearly 1 in. 

 broad, and twisted or wavy ; crown 

 lemon-colour, fading late and imper- 

 fectly to sulphur white, and longer 

 than the exterior divisions. In other 

 respects it does not differ much from 



N. bicolor. The Pyrenees. Borders 



and naturalization on slopes, banks, 

 etc., in light deep soil. Division. 



Narcissus triandrus (Three-stamened 

 N.) A charming kind ; from 6 to 



9 in. high. Flowers, late in spring ; 

 solitary or in pairs, pale yellow, with 

 a bell-shaped cup of the same colour, 

 and reflexed petals. Stem tolerably 

 thick. Leaves, few, grass-like, 8 to 



10 in. in length. Portugal. Rock- 

 work and front margin of mixed bor- 

 ders, in well-drained sandy soil. Di- 

 vision. 



Nepeta Mussini (Bedding N.) A 

 somewhat downy plant, of a whitish- 

 green colour, and having a powerful 

 aromatic odour ; about 1 ft. high . 

 Flowers, in summer ; small, of an 

 azure blue, the lower lip being of a 

 deeper shade, in a long loose spike or 

 cluster; calyx velvety, and tinged 

 with violet. Leaves, opposite, stalked, 

 oval-obtuse; crenate. Caucasus. 

 A very free and vigorous plant, in 

 any soil. It is best suited for natura- 

 lization in rough places, not being 

 quite ornamental enough for the choice 

 border, though much used in bedding. 

 Division. 



Nertera depressa (Fruiting Duck- 

 weed). A minute plant, resembling a 

 duckweed in the aspect of its leaves, 

 but with numbers of small round 



