The Descriptions.

            1. The first of these, which for the largeness is called Nonpareil, hath long broad leaves and roots like the other Daffodils. The flower consists of six very large leaves of a pale yellow colour, with a very large cup, but not very long: this cup is yellower than the encompassing leaves, narrower also at the bottom than at the top, and unevenly cut about the edges. This is called Narcissus omnium maxima, or Nonpareil; the figure well expresseth the flower, but that it is somewhat too little. There is a variety of this with the open leaves & cup both yellow, which makes the difference. There is also another Nonpareil, whose flowers are all white, and the six leaves that stand spread abroad are usually a little folded, or turned in at their ends.

            2. Besides these former there are four or five double yellow Daffodils, which I cannot passe over in silence; the first is that, which is vulgarly amongst Florists known by the name of Robine's Narcissus; and it may be was the same our author in the precedent chapter mentions he received from Robine; but he giving the figure of another and a description not well fitting this, I can affirm nothing of certainty. This double Narcissus of Robine grows with a stalk some foot in height, and the flower is very double, of a pale yellow colour, and it seems commonly to divide itself into some six partitions, the leaves of the flower lying one upon another even to the middle of theflower. This may be called Narcissus pallidus multiplex Robini, Robine's double pale Narcissus.

            3. The next to this is that which from our author, the first observer thereof, is vulgarly called Gerard's Narcissus: the leaves and root do not much differ from the ordinary Daffodil; the stalk is scarce a foot high, bearing at the top thereof a flower very double; the six outmost leaves are of the same yellow colour as the ordinary one is; those that are next are commonly as deep as the tube or trunk of the single one, and amongst them are mixed also other paler coloured leaves, with some green stripes here & there among those leaves: these flowers are sometimes all contained in a trunk like that of the single one, the six out-leaves excepted: other whiles this inclosure is is broke, and then the flower stands fair open like as that of the last described. Lobel in the second part of his Adversaria tells, That our author Master Gerard found this in Wiltshire, growing in the garden of a poor old woman; in which place formerly a cunning man (as they vulgarly term him) had dwelt.

            This may be called in Latin, according to the English, Narcissus multiplex Gerardi, Gerard's double Narcissus.

            The figure we here give you is expressed some what too tall, and the flower is not altogether so double as it ought to be.

            4. There are also two or three double yellow Daffodils yet remaining. The first of there is called Wilmot's Narcissus, (from Master Wilmot, late of Bow) and this hath a very fair double & large yellow flower composed of deeper and paler yellow leaves orderly mixed.

            The second (which is called Tradescant's Narcissus, from Master John Tradescant of South Lambeth) is the largest and stateliest of all the rest; in the largeness of the flowers it exceeds Wilmot's, which otherwise it much resembles; some of the leaves whereof the flower consists are sharp pointed, and these are of a paler colour; other some are much more obtuse, and these are of a deeper and fairer yellow.

            This may be called Narcissus Roseus Tradescanti, Tradescant's Rose Daffodil.

            The third Mr. Parkinson challengeth to himself; which is a flower to be respected, not so much for the beauty, as for the various composure thereof, for same of the leaves are long and sharp pointed, others obtuse and curled, a third sort long and narrow, and usually some few hollow, and in shape resembling a horn; the utmost leaves are commonly streaked, and of a yellowish green; the next to them fold themselves up round, and are usually yellow, yet sometimes they are edged with green. There is a deep yellow pistil divided into three parts, usually in the midst of this flower. It flowers in the end of March. I usually (before Mr. Parkinson set forth his Florilegy, or Garden of Flowers) called this flower Narcissus Polymorphos, by reason of its various shape and colour: but since I think it fitter to give it to the author, and term it Narcissus multiplex varius Parkinsoni, Parkinson's various double Narcissus.

            5. Now come I to treat of some more rarely to be found in our gardens, if at all. That which takes the first place is by Clusius called Narcissus Iacobæus Indicus, the Indian or Jacobean Narcissus. The root hereof is much like to an ordinary onion, the leaves are broad like the other Narcisses, the stalk is smooth, round, hollow, and without knots, at the top whereof, out of a certain skinny husk comes forth a fair red flower like that of the flowering Indian reed, but that the leaves of this are somewhat larger, and it hath six chives or threads in the middle thereof of the same colour as the flower, and they are adorned with brownish pendants; in the cilia of these there stands a little farther out than the rest, a three forked style, under which succeeds a triangular head, after the falling of the flower.

            This gives his flower in June or July.

            6. This Lobel calls Narcissus montanus juncifolius minimus, The Least Rush-leaved mountain Narcissus. The leaves of this are like the Iunquilia; the stalk is short, the flower yellow with the six winged leaves small and paler coloured, the cup open and large to the bigness of the flower.

            7. This also is much like the former; but the six encompassing leaves are of a greenish faint yellow colour; the cup is indented, or unequally curled about the edges, but yellow like the precedent. Lobel calls this Narcissus montanus juncifolius flore fimbriato, The mountain Rush-leaved Narcissus with an indented or curled cup.

            8. The leaves of this are as small as the autumn Hyacinth, the stalk some handful high, and the flower like the last described, but it is of a whitish colour. Lobel calls this last described, Narcissus omnium minimus montanus albus, The least mountain white Narcissus. These three last usually flower in February.