The Daffodil is one of our loveliest spring flowers. It is found
abundantly in woods, and in meadows and pastures in England, but in
Scotland it does not grow wild, and it is doubtful whether it really
does so in Ireland.
The flowers grow singly on tall stalks. Each Daffodil is enclosed in a
light brown sheath, which stands erect. But when the growing flowers
have burst this covering, they droop their heads.
Each flower has a short yellow tube, divided about half way down into
six deep points.
These points do not fold back, they enclose a long yellow trumpet, which
is beautifully scolloped round the mouth.
Inside this trumpet are six stamens with large yellow heads, and the
slender stalks of these stamens cling to the sides of the yellow
trumpet. There is also a short pillar rising from the fat green
seed-vessel, which you can see outside the coloured petals, below the
yellow tube.
In the Daffodil, the sepals and petals are the same colour.
The stalk of the Daffodil is slightly twisted, and has fine lines
running up it. It rises straight from the centre of the bulb which forms
the root.
The leaves are long, narrow straps with blunt points, and they are thick
and juicy.
PLATE XIV: 1. SNEEZEWORT YARROW. 2. MOUNTAIN EVERLASTING
3. COMMON COMFREY.