NARCISSUS, a genus of bulbous plants belonging to the family Amaryllidaceae, natives of central Europe, and the Medi terranean region; one species N. Tazetta, extends through Asia to Japan. From some of these, by cultivation and hybridization, have arisen the very numerous modern varieties. The plants have long narrow leaves springing from the bulb and a central scape bearing one or more generally large, white or yellow, drooping or inclined flowers. The flowers are regular, with a perianth springing from above the ovary, tubular below, with spreading segments and a central corona ; the six stamens are inserted within the tube. The most interesting feature botan ically is the "corona" or "cup," which springs from the base of the flower-segments and this gives the special character to the flower.
There are five well-marked sections: (I) The hoop-petticoat narcissi, sometimes separated as the genus Corbularia, are not more than from 3 to 6 in. in height, and have grassy foliage and yellow or white flowers. These have the coronet in the centre of the flower very large in proportion to the other parts, and much expanded, like the old hooped petticoats. They are now all regarded as varieties or forms of the common hoop-petticoat, N. Bulbocodium, which has comparatively large bright yellow flowers.
(2) A second group is that of the Pseudonarcissi, constituting the genus Ajax of some botanists, of which the daffodil, N. Pseudonarcissus is the type. The daffodil is common in woods and thickets in most parts of the north of Europe. Its leaves are about I ft. in length and I in. in breadth, and have a blunt keel and flat edges. The stem is about 18 in. long and the spathe single-flowered. The flowers are large, yellow, scented and a little
drooping, with a corolla deeply cleft into six lobes and a bell shaped corona which is crisped at the margin ; they appear in March or April. In this species the corona is also very large and prominent.
(3) Another group, the mock narcissi or star daffodils, with coronets of medium size, includes the fine and numerous varieties of N. incomparabilis, one of which, with large, double flowers, is known as butter-and-eggs; N. odorus, known as the campernelle jonquil, has two to four uniform bright yellow flowers, and is considered a hybrid between N. Jonquilla and N. Pseudo narcissus.
(4) The polyanthus or bunch narcissi form another well marked group, whose peculiarity of producing many flowers on the stem is indicated by the name. In these the corona is small and shallow as compared with the perianth. N. Tazetta is the type of this group. They are gen eral favourites amongst spring flowers. The "Chinese sacred lily" or "joss flower" is a form of N. Tazetta. The jonquil, N. Jonquilla, with yellow flowers, a native of south Europe and Algeria, is also grown in pots for early flowering, but does well outside in a warm border.
(5) There remains another little group, the poet's or pheasant's eye narcissi (N. poeticus), in which the perianth is large, spread ing and conspicuous, and the corona very small and shallow. These pheasant's-eye narcissi, of which there are several well marked varieties, blossom in succession during April and May, and all do well in the open borders as permanent hardy bulbs.