Narcissus

Daffodil - Narcissus barnum

This beautiful flower is a Narcissus barnum or more commonly it is called a daffodil. Once again my slight Greek genes started tingling at the name Narcissus. In Greek mythology Narcissus was the son of a God and a nymph and was known for his astounding good looks. One day he caught sight of his own reflection in a river and fell in love with it. There he sat and wasted away until death overcame him and in his place a single daffodil grew bent over the water as though still looking at its reflection. Through this story the meaning of narcissism was explained to me.

Daffodils are commonly found growing along a waters edge and rely on insects for their pollination. This means you have to have a fairly healthy ecosystem to sustain the flowers - a great sign for UEA!

The bulbs of these plants somewhat resemble those of a leek or onion but should not be eaten as they can cause poisoning. During Winter the flowers and stem die down but the bulb persists underground, pulled deeper by its contractile roots. Here it lies dormant until the Springtime, when favourable conditions enable the plant to flower once again.

It seems a bit early in the year for them to be flowering! Despite the size of my jacket it must have been a mild Winter.