-April 3, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
261 
ort of mutual compromise “ Daffadowndillyin which form it is used by 
Spencer in the lines, “ Thy summer proude with Daffadillies dight,” and 
“ Strowe the green round with Daffadowndillies.” Daffodil and Asphodel 
have, however, long been distinct enough in popular parlance ; but there was 
at one time a danger of confounding them, since Markham, in his “ English 
House Wife ” (1837), says, “You must be careful that you take not 
Daffodil for Asphodel.” Among the many local or country names for 
the Daffodil the most common now-a-days are Lent-Bellflower, Lenten Rose. 
“ Lent Lilies,” “ Trumpets,” “ Trumpet flowers,” and “ Chalice flowers.” 
Culpepper calls it Lide Lily, because it flowereth in March, which month in 
some counties is called “ Lide,” “ Lide ” itself, like “ Lent,”being an equivalent 
for the spring season. Popular names have fit uses, but unless very care¬ 
fully applied they are apt to lead us astray sometimes, and so we must 
always remember that the popular name Daffodil in all its forms (excepting 
tee “Hooped Petticoat” or “Rush-leaved” Daffodil, which is different) is 
applied only to the varieties of that very variable native plant, Narcissus 
pseudo-Narcissus, the wild Daffodil of our meadows and northern Europe, 
or the False or Spurious Daffodil of Parkinson, who so called it doubtless 
to distinguish it from the other flat-leaved or true Narcissi, of which 
Narcissus poeticus and Narcissus Tazetta may be taken as good types. 
Popular Names of the Sections. —All varieties of Narcissus Pseudo- 
Narcissus, then, whether native or foreign, may be called “Flat-leaved” or 
‘Trumpet Daffodils.” 
All forms of Narcissus Bulbocodium (the Corbularias of some gardens) 
may be called “ Hooped Petticoat ” or “ Rush-leaved Daffodils.” 
“Jonquil” is another popular name, belonging by right to Narcissus 
jonquilla, but it may be applied to any true Narcissus having narrow bright 
green or rush-like leaves. 
The “Poet’s Narcissi” are all those which have pure white perianth 
segments and a distinct red or purple rim to the shallow yellowish corona 
or crown. 
“Polyanthus Narcissi” are, properly speaking, all forms of Narcissus 
Tazetta. 
The “Peerless Narcissi” are all those of the N. incomparabilis type in 
the genus, and the “ Primrose Peerless ” is Narcissus biflorus. 
Hence these popular names, which confuse us so much when loosely 
applied, if used rightly and carefully serve to distinguish for us the different 
well-marked sections of this beautiful genus. 
STRUCTURE OF THE NARCISSI. 
We shall now turn to the structure and botany of the Narcissus as it is 
known to us to-day. The species of Narcissus (for even Daffodils are, 
strictly speaking, Narcissi, although only the large-trunked Narcissi are 
Daffodils) form a genus of bulbous plants belonging to the natural order or 
group Amaryllidacese, of which the Amaryllis is the type. But our Nar¬ 
cissi differ from Amaryllis proper in having a crown or corona, and thus 
they represent for us here in Europe, not the Amaryllis itself, but the 
Eucharis and Hymenocallis of the new world. At the same time the structure 
and origin of the crown seems different. In Eucharis the corona is formed 
by the cohesion of the flattened filaments of the anthers, which themselves 
are joined to and protrude beyond the crown they form. In Narcissus, 
however, the corona appears to be a prolongation of the tubular portion of 
the flower. A Narcissus flower when examined is found to possess an 
inferior ovary situated at the base of a cylindrical or obconical tube. From 
varying localities along this tube spring six perianth divisions (in two 
series), and beyond these a cup or crown is prolonged as shown in fig. 59. 
Daffodils versus Narcissi. —Now we find among the Narcissi generally 
two well-marked and distinct variations in their flowers. In the Daffodils, 
for example, the six stamens are of equal length, and have the same point 
of insertion low down near the obconical tube as here shown (fig. GO):— 
When a flower of the true or “ Poet’s Narcissus”is examined,however, we 
find some marked differences, as shown in the diagram (fig. 61). 
It will be observed that the tube is here very much longer and quite 
cylindrical, and when we make a section of the flower we find the six 
stamens are divided into two sets of three each, and that each set has its 
own locality or point of insertion—three near the mouth and the other three 
much further down, midway twixt crown and ovary. I have not time to go 
into minute details ; but I need scarcely say that there are good reasons for 
these structural variations. They are especially fitted for (owe their origin, 
it may be), to insect fertilisation ; and, as we shall soon find, these two 
distinct species are not unfrequently cross-fertilised in a wild state, and this 
has happened much more frequently in our gardens, or perhaps it may be in 
gardens their progeny has been more carefully preserved. Before I leave 
this part of my subject I wish to point out that nearly all the variations in 
form of which a Narcissus flower is capable are owing to the sliding, as it 
were, of the whorl of perianth segments along the tube of the flower. Thus 
we find the length of the cup or crown and the length of the tube always, 
or nearly always, vary in inverse proportion,j ust as I have shown them to 
do in the sketch (fig. 62). 
It is well to get the essential differences of these two species well fixed in 
our minds, as we thus get a clear light in which to see the part each species 
has borne in the production of garden hybrids and seedlings. 
I ought to point out here that some superficial distinctions are produced 
by the manner and degree of expansion usual to the perianth divisions. In 
the “Hooped Petticoat” (Narcissus Bulbocodium), for example, the perianth 
divisions are narrow and inconspicuous, lying as they do in the same plane 
with the coronal margins. In the “ Common Daffodil ” the perianth lobes 
are broader and more expanded. In N. incomparabilis and in N. poeticus 
they are expanded at right angles to the tube and so become star-like; so 
also in the “ Little Cupped Italian ” or Narcissus Tazetta group, while in 
the case of this “bonnie” gem Narcissus triandrus we get a very distinct 
Cyclamen-like blossom, seeing that the perianth lobes are sharply reflexed 
or turned back, so that they be parallel with the pendant flower tube. 
The Colour of Narcissi. —In colour the Narcissi are not so variable 
as many other bulbed flowers. We get all shades of yellow and of white in 
the perianth. One species, N. viridiflorus, known to Parkinson, and recently 
re-introduced by Mr. George Maw, has greenish blossoms. Among the 
N. incomparabilis varieties we find 
cups richly tinted with orange- 
in some forms of 
while N. poeticus 
purple rim to the 
red; so also 
*» 
or 
Fig. 62.—Daffodil with long crown and short 
tube, Narcissus with short crown and long tube. 
cissus.—We have 
known to exist in 
in all about 
a wild state. 
N. Tazetta, 
has a red 
crown. 
“ Everybody knows that the 
common Daffodil has an ex¬ 
tinguisher - shaped deep yellow 
corona an inch or more in length, 
while the cup of the “ Poet’s Nar¬ 
cissus ” is flat and shallow, yellow 
also, but having a dark reddish- 
purple rim around its margiD. 
Now, in the hybrid N. incom¬ 
parabilis and many of its seedling 
forms we find the outer edge of 
the cup suffused with reddish- 
orange, which is just the tint 
obtainable by mixing deep yellow 
and reddish-purple on the pa¬ 
lette.” — (Burb. “Cult. Plants ,” 
1875, p. 125.) 
The Species of Narcissus.— 
We must now pass in review the 
species of the genus, and I shall 
be glad if you will allow me to 
refer briefly to their classification 
afterwards. 
Nomenclature of the Nar- 
twenty species of Narcissus which are 
List of the species of Narcissus, shotting Distribution. 
Species. Native Countries. 
1, N. Pseudo-Narcissus .Sweden, England, Portugal, Spain, Italy, 
Transylvania. 
2, N. Bulbocodium.Spain, Portugal, France SAY. to Bordeaux, 
N. Africa. 
S, N. incomparabilis.Spain, S.W. France, Tyrol. 
4, N. Macleaii.Not wild. . 
5, N. dubius.S. France, (Toulon, Marseilles, Avignon, 
Nice). 
6, N. poeuliformis .. .. .. . .(montanus) not wild. 
7, N. odorus.Spain, S. France, Italy, Dalmatia. 
8, N. juncifolius .. .. .. . .Spain, and S. France. 
9, N. triandrus ..Spain. 
10, N. calathinus .Isle of Glenans, Brittany. 
11 N. Tazetta.S. Europe, Cashmere, N. India, China, 
Japan. 
12, N. pachybolbus.Algeria ( ? N. Tazetta var.). 
18, N. biflorus.France, Switzerland, Italy, Tyrol. 
14, N. poeticus.S. Europe, France to Greece. 
18, N. Broussonetii.Mogadore (Africa). 
16, N. canariensis .. .. .. .. Canary Islands. 
