Is propagated most readily, by parting its roots in autumn.

[51]

Narcissus major.  Great Daffodil.

Class and Order.

Hexandria Monogynia.

Generic Character.

Petala 6 aequalia:  Nectario infundibuliformi, 1-phyllo. Stamina intra nectarium.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

NARCISSUS major foliis subtortuosis, spatha uniflora, nectario campanulato patulo crispo aequante petala.

NARCISSUS major totus luteus calyce praelongo. Bauhin Pin. 52.

NARCISSI sylvestris alia icon. Dodon.  Stirp. p. 227.

The great yellow Spanish Bastard Daffodil. Parkins.  Parad. t. 101. fig. 1.

[Illustration:  51]

The present species of Daffodil is the largest of the genus, and bears the most magnificent flowers, but, though it has long been known in this country, it is confined rather to the gardens of the curious.

It is a native of Spain, and flowers with us in April.  As its roots produce plenty of offsets, it is readily propagated.

It approaches in its general appearance very near to the Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus, but differs in being a much taller plant, having its leaves more twisted, as well as more glaucous, its flowers (but especially its Nectary) much larger, and its petals more spreading; and these characters are not altered by culture.

It answers to the bicolor of LINNAEUS in every respect but colour, and we should have adopted that name, had not the flowers with us been always of a fine deep yellow; we have therefore taken BAUHIN’s name as the most expressive.

It varies with double flowers.

[52]

Gentiana acaulis.  Large-Flowered Gentian, or Gentianella.

Class and Order.

Pentandria Digynia.

Generic Character.

Corolla monopetala. Capsula bivalvis, 1-locularis. Receptaculis 2-longitudinalibus.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

GENTIANA acaulis corolla quinquefida campanulata caulem excedente. Linn.  Syst.  Vegetab. p. 267.

GENTIANA alpina latifolia magno flore. Bauh.  Pin. 187.

Small Gentian of the Spring. Park.  Par. p. 352. t. 351. f. 3.

[Illustration:  52]

Plants growing in mountainous situations, where they are constantly exposed to strong-blowing winds, are always dwarfish; in such situations, the present plant has no stalk, whence its name acaulis, but cultivated in gardens it acquires one.

Most of the plants of this family are beautiful, and, cultivated in gardens, in brilliancy of colour none exceed the present species.

As most Alpine plants do, this loves a pure air, an elevated situation, and a loamy soil, moderately moist; it is however somewhat capricious, thriving without the least care in some gardens, and not succeeding in others; at any rate it will not prosper very near London.