CHAPTER IX 



STRAIGHTENING DAFFODIL NOMENCLA- 

 TURE AND CLASSIFICATION 



UP to a hundred years ago, when there 

 were comparatively few kinds or varieties in 

 this now numerous family, the old system of 

 naming always descriptive answered ad- 

 mirably; but, with the advent of numer- 

 ous intermediate types, perhaps combining 

 the distinctive forms of both parents, and 

 so to be classed with neither, something 

 else became imperative. The old name 

 "Pseudo-Narcissus albus aureus," signify- 

 ing the large yellow trumpet daffodil with 

 white perianth petals, could now be applied 

 to a dozen or more varieties, each one of 

 which has a distinct individuality. After 

 several fruitless efforts had been made to 

 straighten out the nomenclature by retaining 

 the old Latin names, light was at last shed 

 by Mr. J. G. Baker, in 1869, whose arrange- 

 ment of the genus into three main sub-divi- 

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