To those interested in Poeticus classification.
It is not that the variety ‘Merthan’ is a poeticus or not, that interests me, as it is rather impossible to decide by looking at one photograph. It is the mistaken views that some hold on what represents division 9.
Firstly, poeticus can have a flat and discoid or cupular crown as represented in the species.
Secondly, virtually all poeticus hybrids throughout the world at the present time have some division 1, 2 and 3 genetics in their makeup.
I have in my possession a copy of a manuscript (the original is held in the Auckland Museum) by the late Dr Leonard Cockayne, who was recognised as New Zealand’s foremost botanist, written in 1897 on the history of the daffodil. In it he writes of the great English raiser of daffodils , the Reverend George H. Engleheart stating:-
“His greatest success is an entirely new race of Narcissus poeticus. These have been made by a double cross, crossing poeticus with incomparabilis a natural hybrid of rich colour in the cup and then crossing this result with No. 1 again so as to retain the original shape of the mother flower”.
Incomparabilis daffodils (division 2) are the result of crossing trumpet daffodils with poeticus. This was done to put constitution into poeticus hybrids as wild poeticus tended to die out when put into garden cultivation. Engleheart realised this. I know of no-one in my time span of 65 years of growing daffodils that has registered any poeticus bred from species crossed species. If anyone has attempted this they will have discovered, as Engleheart found, that the resultant seedlings would have no constitution in a cultivated garden situation.
Thirdly, regarding size – there is nothing in the definition of division 9 that states there is a size restriction on perianth diameter, nor should there be.
The only type of daffodils that are restricted by perianth size are miniatures and intermediates. A poeticus can be any perianth size what so ever and must be accepted. If you take away a hybridisers imagination to advancement you are dooming the flower to failure.
To get over the numerous myths that surround the poeticus section one would recommend daffodil enthusiasts that are interested read H.W. Pugsley’s account of the poeticus group published December 1915 titled ‘Narcissus Poeticus and its Allies’ as a supplement to the Journal of Botany for that year. He names 9 species that he considered comprised the Poeticus Narcissus. These species he arranged in two series the Poetici and the Radiiflori after the two species of Koch. It is an artificial arrangement, the main distinction relying on one factor, this being the method by which the stamens are inserted. The Poetici have stamens that are unequal, three being held in the perianth tube out of site, the other three projecting. The Radiiflori have both sets of stamens projecting, other characters such as the shape of the eye or corona, whether it be flat and discoid or cupular overlap the distinction of the two series. In this work, not only were wild forms dealt with but attention was drawn to the existance of various plants that has evidently been very long under cultivation but whose origin was obscure; and some of these were treated as provisional species. It is not clear even now just how far the arrangement then adopted is a natural one, for while wild Poet’s Narcissi usually show a considerable range of floral variation.
W.H. Pugley’s article is the last thorough work on the Poeticus section that I know of.
Hope this is of interest.
Regards,
John
Historian
National Daffodil Society of N.Z
John A. Hunter
195 Patons Road
R.D.1 Richmond
Nelson
New Zealand
Phone 64 3 544 0011
195 Patons Road
R.D.1 Richmond
Nelson
New Zealand
Phone 64 3 544 0011