AMABTLLIDEiE, 519 



neous impression that it was indigenous in the Channel Islands), and 

 others, besides the gigantic Agave americana, commonly called Aloe, but 

 not a congener to the true Aloes of botanists, which are Liliaceous plants. 



I. NARCISSUS. NARCISSUS. 



Flowers either solitary or several together, from a terminal spatha. Pe- 

 rianth with a distinct tube above the ovary, and 6 usually spreading seg- 

 ments, with a cup-sliaped or tubular, coloured crown at their base, round 

 the orifice of the tube, 



A well-defined and very natural genus, chiefly south European, not ex- 

 tending into Asia beyond the Caucasus, and probably containing but few 

 real species, although some botanists, availing themselves of the most 

 triding characters, observed cliiefly in cultivated varieties, have proposed 

 the breaking it up into 15 or more genera, with above a hundred supposed 

 species. 



Flowers solitary, the cro\yu broadly tubular, as long as the seg- 

 ments 1. Daffodil N. 



Flowers usually 3, the crown very short aud concave 2. Two-flowered N. 



Several other cultivated species have occasionally established themselves 

 for a time in the vicinity of gardens, particularly the poet's N. (N.poeticus, 

 Eng. Bot. t. 275), from the Mediterranean region, which is near the tivo- 

 jlowered N., but has usually a solitary flower, of a pure white, except tlie 

 crown, which is yellow, often edged with orange or crimson. 



1. Da£fodil Narcissus. Narcissus Pseudonarcissus, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 17. Daffodil. Daffy-down-dilly .) 



Bulb rather large. Leaves usually 2 or 3, seldom a foot long, from 

 4 to 6 lines broad, of a bluish green. Stem rather taller, with a single 

 large, scentless, yellow flower. Perianth-tube about an inch long, wider at 

 the top ; the segments ovate or oblong, of the length of the tube ; the 

 crown very conspicuous, broadly tubular, often longer than the segments, 

 and slightly 6-lobed, or waved at the edge. 



In meadows and mountain pastures, dispersed over the greater part of 

 temperate Europe, especially France and Spain. Abundant in many parts 

 of England, but in several instances only as an escape from cultivation, as 

 it soon establishes itself in great quantities in a meadow where it was once 

 introduced ; in Scotland and Ireland only where introduced. Fl. early 

 sfring. It varies much in the size and intensity of colour of the flower, and 

 the relative size of the crown, 



2. Two-flo-wered Narcissus. Narcissus biflorus, Curt. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 276. Primrose Peerless^ 

 Much resembles the Daffodil in stature and foliage, except that it is 

 rather stouter and taller. Flowers usually two together, of a pale straw- 

 colour, or neai'ly white, and sweet-scented. Periantlt-tube slender, about 

 an inch long ; the segments rather shorter, oval or oblong ; the crown very 

 short, concave or broadly cup-shaped, yellow, slightly crenate at the edge. 



In meadows, in southern and western Europe, chiefly Spain and western 



France, the more eastern Mediterranean plant so caUed being probably a 



variety of the poet's N. In Britain, much cultivated in cottage gardens, 



• and frequently established in their vicinity, but probably truly indigenous 



in Ireland, and some parts of western and southern England. Fl. spring. 



