NARCISSUS POETICUS AND ITS ALLIES. 
By H. W. PUGSLEY, B.A. 
eee Tee 
THE cultivation of Daffodils, which has lately become one of 
the most fashionable of horticultural pursuits in this country, was 
followed with zest more than three nandise years ago, when 
Gerard described and figured a large number of forms in his 
Herbal. The infinite variety of iis Nareleaus lends it indeed the 
a t while present-day gardeners have striven with energy to 
apprere the Narcissus, very little botanical work on the genus has 
he public “apne of Mr. J. G. Baker’s Amaryllidee 
at once seen on NEN gh his account of oe pn te with 
that of the species of a genus like Viola. 
The bo Re ich investigation of Narcissi presents two peinepal 
difficulties. In the first place, a number of garden forms exist o 
have existed peso whose origin there is some uncer ieaiste. 
While they may be truly wild plants, it is quite possible that they 
are ancient hybrids, for it is certain that 7 ae been 
cultivated in some part of Europe during many centuries. A 
second difficulty, which applies especially to the Poet’s — arises 
from the obliteration of the floral characters in dried specimens. 
In these all traces of colouring generally vanish after a few years, 
over, many exsiccata are mere scraps—flowers sition bulb, 
satiagey or fruit. "wa unately, in some cases, published figures 
xistence which are accurate and reliable, but many 
platen, and notably those in recent works, leave much to be 
esired. 
On the other hand, the examination of Narcissi is facilitated 
Journat or Borany, Aucust, 1915. (Supprement II.) d 
