The Names.
The first and second haue been sent vs by the name of Narcisse Nompareille, as it is called in French; and in Latine, Narcissus omnium maximus amplo calice flauo, and Narcissus Incomparabilis, that is, the Incomparable Daffodill, or the greatest Daffodill of all other, with a large yellow cuppe: but assuredly, although this Daffodill doth exceed many other, both in length and bignesse, yet the great Spanish bastard Daffodill, which shall be spoken of hereafter, is in my perswasion oftentimes a farre higher and larger flower; and therefore this name was giuen but relatiuely, we may call it in English, The great None such Daffodill, or the Incomparable Daffodill, or the great Peerlesse Daffodill, or the Nompareille Daffodill, which you will: for they all doe answer either the French or the Latine name; and because this name Nompareille is growne currant by custome, I know not well how to alter it. The third kinde may passe with the title giuen it, without controule. The last is very well knowne beyond the Seas, especially in the Low Countries, and those parts, by the Lady Mattenesse Daffodill, because Clusius receiued it from her. We may call it in English, for the correspondency with the former, The lesser yellow Nompareille, or Peerlesse Daffodill, or the Lady Mattenesse Daffodill, which you will.
Narcissus Indicus flore rubro, dictus Iacobæus. The Indian Daffodill with a red flower.
This Indian Daffodill is so differing, both in forme, not hauing a cuppe, and in colour being red, from the whole Family of the Daffodils (except the next that followeth, and the Autumne Daffodils) that some might justly question the fitnesse of his place here. But because as all the plants, whether bulbous or other, that come from the Indies, either East or West (although they differ very notably, from those that grow in these parts of the world) must in a generall suruey and muster be ranked euery one, as neere as the surueiours wit will direct him, vnder some other growing with vs, that is of neerest likenesse; Euen so vntill some other can direct his place more fitly, I shall require you to accept of him in this, with this description that followeth, which I must tell you also, is more by relation then knowledge, or sight of the plant it selfe. This Daffodill hath diuers broad leaues, somewhat like vnto the common or ordinary white Daffodill, of a grayish greene colour; from the sides whereof, as also from the middle of them, rise vp sometimes two stalkes together, but most vsually one after another (for very often it flowreth twice in a Summer) and often also but one stalke alone, which is of a faint reddish colour, about a foote high or more, at the toppe whereof, out of a deepe red skinne or huske, commeth forth one flower bending downwards, consisting of sixe long leaues without any cup in the middle, of an excellent red colour, tending to a crimson; three of these leaues that turne vpwards, are somewhat larger then those three that hang downewards, hauing sixe threads or chiues in the middle, tipt with yellow pendents, and a three forked stile longer then the rest, and turning vp the end thereof againe: the roote is round and bigge, of a brownish colour on the outside, and white within. This is set forth by Aldinus, Cardinall Farnesius his Physitian, that at Rome it rose vp with stalks of flowers before any leaues appeared.
The Place, Time, and Names.
This naturally groweth in the West Indies, from whence it was brought into Spaine, where it bore both in Iune and Iuly, and by the Indians in their tongue named Azcal Xochitl, and hath beene sent from Spaine, vnto diuers louers of plants, into seuerall parts of Christendome, but haue not thriued long in these transalpine colde Countries, so far as I can heare.
Narcissus Trapezunticus flore luteo præcocissimus. The early Daffodill of Trebizond.
Because this Daffodill is so like in flower vnto the former, although differing in colour, I thought it the fittest place to ioyne it the next thereunto. This early Daffodill hath three or foure short very greene leaues, so like vnto the leaues of the Autumne Daffodill, that many may easily bee deceiued in mistaking one for another, the difference consisting chiefly in this, that the leaues of this are not so broad or so long, nor rise vp in Autumne: in the midst of these leaues riseth vp a short green stalke, an handfull high, or not much higher vsually, (I speake of it as it hath often flowred with mee, whether the cause be the coldnesse of the time wherein it flowreth, or the nature of the plant, or of our climate, I am in some doubt; but I doe well remember, that the stalkes of some plants, that haue flowred later with me then the first, haue by the greater strength, and comfort of the Sunne, risen a good deale higher then the first) bearing at the top, out of a whitish thinne skinne stripped with greene, one flower a little bending downewards, consisting of sixe leaues, laid open almost in the same manner with the former Indian Daffodill, whereof some doe a little turne vp their points againe, of a faire pale yellow colour, hauing sixe white chiues within it, tipt with yellow pendents, and a longer pointell: the roote is not very great, but blackish on the outside, so like vnto the Autumne Daffodill, but that it is yellow vnder the first or outermost coate, that one may easily mistake one for another.
The Place.
It was sent vs from Constantinople among other rootes, but as wee may ghesse by the name, it should come thither from Trapezunte or Trebizond.