PLATE VIL-NARCISSUS. 



The Daffodil is a favourite garden-flower appearing in the early spring. It occurs in woods, in moist and shady situations, some- 

 times in great profusion. The flower is solitary, on a long stalk; but in the Polyanthus Narcissus there are a number of flowers form- 

 ing an umbel. . . 



In the Daffodil the most striking part of the flower is the Corona, which forms the central tube. In Polyanthus Narcissus it is 

 simply like a little cup; and in the Snowdrop, belonging to the same Natural Order, it disappears altogether. This structure is merely an 

 appendage of the perianth, resembling the ligule of grasses, and the processes we shall meet with in Pinks, at the throat of the corolla. 



Fig. 1. Daffodil. 



Bract, membranous. 



Perianth of six spreading segments with a large tubular Corona. The corona or crown is an outgrowth from the 

 perianth-leaves, and is to be regarded as composed of ligules, which have united by their edges so as to form 

 a tube. 

 Stamens, concealed by the corona. 

 Ovary, inferior. 

 Fig. 2. The umbellate arrangement of the flowers in Polyanthus Narcissus is here shown, and the single bract at their base 



Figs. 3 and 4. Vertical section of Polyanthus Narcissus. 

 Perianth with long tube. 

 Corona, short, relative to perianth-segments. 

 Stamens, six, inserted in the tube. 

 Ovary with slender style and blunt stigma. 



Diagram I. — Calyx of three Sepals. ( Perianth. 



Corolla of three Petals alternating with the Sepals, f 



Androecium, of six Stamens, in two alternating whorls. 



Gynoecium of three united Carpels. 

 Diagram II. — Showing imbricate arrangement of perianth-leaves in bud. 

 Fig. 5. Anther capable of turning on short filament, and opening inwards. 



Fig. 6. Ovary three-angled, and three-chambered. 



Ovules, in two vertical rows in each chamber of Ovary. 

 Placentation, axile. 



Fig. 7. Ovule of Narcissus poeticus in section. 



Make horizontal sections of Ovary and you also get sections of Ovules. 



In the previous Plate the pollen-grain was traced from the stigmatic surface, where it formed a tube through the style, till it 

 reached the place where the ovules are attached. Here the pollen-tube will be traced into the ovule, and the ovule itself considered. 

 ' The ovule may be perfectly erect, as in the Yew, or it may be curved, but in the vast majority of cases it is inverted. he 

 ooenine of the ovule is thus turned towards its attachment, and the line of attachment is the course followed by the pollen-tube, so that, 

 as the pollen-tubes go on growing, they can hardly help making their way into this entrance, and coming in contact with the surface 

 of the nucellus. Then they pass through and reach the embryo-sac when the process of Fertilisation takes place. 

 (a.) Three principal parts of Ovule. 



Stalk or Funicle, attaching it to ovary-wall. 



Outer and Inner Coat, leaving a narrow passage for the entrance of pollen-tube. 

 Nucellus or central mass of tissue. 

 (o.) Embryo-sac in detail — , . 



Embryo-sac, originally a single cell of the Nucellus, growing fast and enlarging. 



Embryo-cell with two other cells called Synergidae or Co-operative cells. These three cells are without a cell-wall. 

 Three Antipodal cells, each with a cellulose-wall. 

 Nucleus of Embryo-sac, surrounded by a vacuole. 



CLASSIFICATION. 



Class. — Monocotyledon. 

 Order. — Amaryllideae. 



Perianth, superior and petaloid. 



Stamens, six, with anthers opening inwards. 



Gynoecium, inferior, of three united carpels. 



Ovules, numerous, and Placentation, axile. 



Fruit, a capsule. 



Seeds, endospermous. 

 Genera. — Narcissus with a corona. , 



Galanthus (Snowdrop) without corona, and outer perianth-segments largest. 



Leucojum (Snow-flake) without corona, and perianth-segments equal. 



