Narcissus (flower)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This page is about the flower; for other uses of the terms, see Narcissus or Daffodil (disambiguation).

iNarcissus or Daffodil

Image:Yellow daffodils - floriade canberra.jpg

'King Alfred' Daffodils, Floriade, Canberra, 2005

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Liliopsida
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Amaryllidaceae
Genus:	Narcissus L.

Species

See text.

Narcissus is the Latin name for a group of hardy, mostly spring-flowering, bulbs. There are several Narcissus species that bloom in the autumn. Daffodil is the common English name for all narcissus. The botanic name of the genus is Narcissus. They are mostly native to the Mediterranean region, but a few species are found through Central Asia to China. The range of forms in cultivation has been heavily modified and extended, with new variations available in nurseries practically every year.

1 Etymology
2 Description
3 Popular culture
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Etymology

The name Narcissus is derived from that of the narcissistic youth of Greek mythology called Narkissos. Though "Narcissi" is given in dictionaries as the gramatically correct plural of "Narcissus", The American Daffodil Society prefers the use of "narcissus" for both singular and plural.

The name Daffodil is derived from an earlier "affodell", a variant of asphodel. The reason for the introduction of the initial "d" is not known, though from at least the sixteenth century "Daffadown Dilly" or "daffadowndilly" has appeared as a playful synonym of the name.

Narcissus are sometimes called jonquils in North America, but strictly speaking that name belongs only to the rush-leaved Narcissus jonquilla and cultivars derived from it.

[edit] Description

All daffodils have a central trumpet-shaped corona surrounded by a ring of petals. The traditional daffodil has a golden yellow color all over, but the corona may often feature a contrasting color. Breeders have developed some daffodils with a double or triple row of petals, making them resemble a small golden ball. Other cultivars have frilled petals, or an elongated or compressed central corona.

Daffodils are poisonous, and if eaten could result in death.<ref>The poisonous qualities of daffodils</ref>

Below is an image of the pollen of Narcissus pseudonarcissus (common daffodil).

Image:Narcissus pseudonarcissus.JPG

[edit] Popular culture

The daffodil serves as the national flower of Wales. One species, "Narcissus obvallaris", grows only in a small area around Tenby. In Wales it is traditional to wear a daffodil on Saint David's Day (March 1st).

The flower is a common decoration flower during Chinese New Year.

William Wordsworth's short poem "I wandered lonely as a cloud" has often become linked in the popular mind with the daffodils which form its main image.

In the movie Big Fish, Edward Bloom plants a field of Daffodils outside of Sandra Templeton's window in order to win her heart.

Various Cancer Societies around the world use the Daffodil as fundraising symbol. "Daffodil Days" are organised to raise funds by offering the flowers in return for a donation.

Image:Jonquil flowers05.jpg

The horticultural divisions include:

Trumpet daffodils
Large-cupped daffodils
Small-cupped daffodils
Double daffodils
Triandrus daffodils
Cyclamineus daffodils
Jonquilla daffodils
Tazetta (Poetaz or Bunch-flowered) daffodils
Poeticus (Poet's) daffodils
Bulbocodium daffodils
Split-corona daffodils
Other daffodils which don't fit the above divisions
Species and wild hybrids
Miniature daffodils are found in all divisions.

White Jonquil	White Jonquil	White Jonquil	White Jonquil
Narcissus pseudonarcissus	Narcissus tazetta	Narcissus bulbocodium ssp. bulbocodium	Narcissus poeticus 'Actaea'
Jonquil Flowers	Narcissus 'Tahiti'	Narcissus (yellow)