h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The Daffodil - A20186813
Author: Galaxy Babe 99+1 - U128652

As an antidote to the ghastly "Wordsworth Rap" I bring you - the Daffodil.


GB


Submitted 14 April

The botanical name is Narcissus Amaryllidaceae(or N. pseudonarcissus for the wild daff), which I couldn't see in your entry, but may have missed. Talking about species, you mention the legend of Narcissus, but then don't tell us why this is relevant to the entry. All narcissi are not daffs, although apparently all daffs are narcissi. It had to do with trumpet length and numbers of flowers per stem - I don't think you've mentioned any description of the flower in your entry, which I think would be good to add. Most people from 'round here' will know what they are, but I'm not sure how widely they grow in other countries.

"a variation of the old English 'Asphodel'." I'm not sure that is old English, my sources state the asphodel was an imported variety which the English began to prefer, so calling their own flower (pardon me mods, this is necessary) 'bastard affodil', where we then get 'daffodil'.

'Jonquil' comes from the Spanish 'rush', referring to the leaves.

In aftercare you may want to mention that the bulbs will propagate themselves by growing new bulbs, so if left in place for many years can become overcrowded and suffer a bit. - although as a very hardy plant they'll never die off. They'll just not look their best. Every so often they should be dug up, separated and replanted.

Also you've mentioned the narcotic properties, but they are also poisonous, especially to dogs, if they eat the bulbs. Also the plant can cause skin irritation, although I've never met anyone who's suffered from this, or heard about it happening anywhere.

Other facts you may be interested in:

"There can be no other flower which spells the arrival of Spring quite so much as the national flower of Wales. The daffodil is also known as the 'Lent Lily' because it is usually in bloom around that time." It's traditionally worn on St David's day because it is supposed to bloom first on that day (March 1st).

Australian soldiers were known as daffodils at the time of the fall of Singapore during WW2 as they were beautiful but yellow. The full quote from an official war document is 'The Australians where known as daffodils, beautiful to look at but yellow all through'. Previously daffs had been used in remembrance for Aussie troops from WW1.

The Romans believed that the daff sap could heal wounds, but it actually contains sharp crystals (calcium oxalate) to prevent animals eating it – it's these which can be irritable to the skin. It's also the reason they shouldn't be put into a vase with other flowers – it makes them wilt. The Asphodel (http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/a/aspho080.html) has the same sharp crystals, but apparently the roots are edible.

"The Ancient Greeks planted daffodil bulbs near tombs, leading to their mention in Herrick's Hesperides as portents of death." Daffs are also the reason Hades was able to abduct Persephone – it was the daffs (or asphodels) growing his world of the dead that she was picking.

Sorry, didn't mean to write that much, good choice for an entry!

Very interesting and informative Entry ,GB. I learned a few things, for example the etymology of 'narcotic', of which I was unaware .

I was intrigued by this bit,

'Daffodils are being grown for galanthine, a substance in the bulbs being used to fight Alzheimer's Disease'.


In my Entry on 'Snowdrops' at A3694728 I mentioned 'galantamine' which is extracted from snowdrops as a treatment for AD. I don't know whether galantamine and galanthine are one and the same thing, or whether they are slight variants of each other - I may check this out if I get time (getting ready for a return to college on Monday ).
Anyway, the reason 'galantamine' is so-called is because it's extracted from snowdrops, Genus 'Galanthus'.
So, I wondered whether you could make some kind of link to 'Snowdrops'?

"When older daffodils start shooting, dig them up, divide the bulbs and replant."

Just realised this is sort of what I said about the bulbs, but I'm not sure what you mean when you say 'shooting'?

Well, I just did a quick 'Google' search for 'galanthine, galantamine' and no hits came up which included both variants.

However, I found this site

http://www.biopsychiatry.com/galantamine.htm

which says that galantamine is extracted from several plantsa including daffodils.

My guess is that galanthine and galantamine are one and the same thing, but galantamine is more commonly used.

I would suggest changing galanthine to galantamine.


You could make the 'Snowdrops link by saying something like:


'An alkaloid known as galanthamine, which is effective against certain forms of Alzheimers Disease, was originally extracted from daffodil and snowdrop A3694728 bulbs, but is now synthesised in the laboratory.

With regard to Daffodil Day in Australia, to clear up any confusion that may be apparent with the remembrance side of the flower, Daffodil Day is held to raise funds for the Anti-Cancer Council - and more directly to bring about awareness of Skin Cancer, a major killer in Australia.

It's nothing to do with Aussie soldiers, although many people still lay daffodils at war memorials on Rememebrance Day in Oz and NZ.

"The French, who utelise the plant"

GB, your spelling of utilise - 'check it'

Otherwise, good work

Thanks for the reviews

Working backwards, post 7, 6, 5

4,3,2,1, BLAST OFF to the

Sorry, couldn't help it.

Daffodils are finally blooming in the mountains here, wherever this is.

>>The origin of the plant is South Western Europe<<
Would 'The plant originates in South Western Europe' sound better?

I might suggest moving the following sentence from history where it seems out of place:
'When Socrates wrote about it, he called narcissus the 'Chaplet of the infernal Gods', mentioning that when applied to open wounds it produced staggering, numbness of the nervous system and paralysis of the heart.'
to the bottom of 'Narcissus' right after 'referring to the narcotic properties of the plant.' where it fits right in.

>>When older daffodils start shooting, dig them up, divide the bulbs and replant.<<
I know what you mean, but it sure sounds odd - the shooting part. I do think one of EW's comments covers the procedure. In any case, I'd move it from 'Planting' to 'Aftercare'.

Very good, this'n.

(I see that you're taking your time making changes to this. Take all the time you need )

btw, I notice that Elvis sang a flower-packed song (http://www.mp3lyrics.org/e/elvis-presley/petunia/) verse-wise that includes the line 'I'm daffy as a daffodil' ...just in case that's of any interest. It didn't actually further his career in any way, nor did it make daffodils any more or less popular, apparently. Still, there it is.

I will get back to this asap, thanks everyone

Right, updated to include all points, hopefully

Looks great!

I'll second that - it does look great, nicely done, GB

W

Looks great

Don't think I can add anything except very nicely done.

everyone

Nice one!

Just a few queries:

Intro 1st line: (central trumpet.)?

Intro 2nd line: [spring]

Intro 2nd line: [quite so well]

History 2nd para 1st line: [that daffodil sap]

History 3rd para 1st line: [are variations]

Narcissus 1st para 3rd line: It was his reflection in the water that transfixed him, not the water.

Planting 1st line: [autumn]

(semicolon or dash in place of comma)?

Planting last para: (the stronger-scented ones)?

Footnote 1: Should that read 'the only British Poet Laureate'?