NARCIS SUS JONQUILLA. 
JONQUIL. 
Order. 
MONOGYNIA. 
Natural Order. 
AMARYLLIDEJE. 
Native of 
Height. 
Flowers in 
Duration. 
Cultivated 
Spain. 
1 foot. 
April, May. 
Perennial . 
in 1597. 
No. 225. 
It is generally allowed that the term Narcissus 
originated in the Greek word narke, stupor; 
whence comes narcotic, used to designate such drugs 
as stupify. But some writers maintain that the 
name was first applied by the ancient poets, to the 
fabled boy, who very simply fell passionately in 
love with his own shadow in a fountain. They fur- 
ther pretend that he pined away, from excess of 
passion, and by favour of the gods was changed into 
the flower that now bears his name. Pliny directly 
contradicts this application of the name from the 
fabled Narcissus of the poets, and says, it was given 
to the plant on account of its qualities; which he 
describes as hurtful to the stomach, and as stupify- 
ing to the senses. Old writers termed this species 
of Narcissus the rush-leaved, or juncifolius; and from 
the same idea comes jonquilla, a little rush. 
The bulbs of Narcissus jonquilla should be taken 
up at least every alternate year, about Midsummer, 
and planted again in October. If left too long un- 
disturbed, the bulbs will be found to have grown 
deep in the soil, and they will become altogether un- 
productive of flowers. 
5 7 Hort. Kew. 2, v. 2, 217. 
Class. 
HEXANDRIA. 
