Plants in the Hortus

Many of the plants described here were listed in the catalogues of plants published by Sir William Macarthur in 1843, 1845, 1850 and 1857 and in an unpublished catalogue dated 1861. A large number of additional plants were identified from correspondence, gardening notebooks and other documents surviving in the archives. The Hortus attempts to describe all the plants grown in the gardens at Camden Park and those grown in horticultural enterprises such as orchards and vineyards and includes plants grown outside the gardens in the park-like environs of the Camden Park estate. The Hortus plants served a wide range of purposes in the 19th century household; as ornament, living fences, fibre, dyestuffs, medicines, food and drink from the garden, orchard and vineyard and many others.

Narcissus tazetta subsp. tazetta L.

Bulbous perennial with sulphur-yellow, spreading perianth segments and cup-shaped, orange-yellow corona, one-third of the length of the segments. [Hortus, Baker Am.].

Narcissus tazetta subsp. tazetta L. dark cup

Narcissus tazetta is found in many forms and at Camden Park there are varieties that range from pure white to the vibrant colours of ‘Soleil d’Or’, and with many shapes and sizes of perianth segment and corona. This dark-cupped variety of tazetta could well survive in the gardens.

See also the illustration with Narcissus varieties unidentified.

Narcissus tazetta subsp. tazetta var. ‘Trewianus’

Narcissus Trewianus is a bulbous perennial with strap-shaped leaves and an umbel of flowers with a white perianth and yellow corona, very similar to, if not identical with Narcissus ‘Baselman Major’ Trew. [Baker Am.]. See also Narcissus ‘Baselman Minor’.

Narcissus tazetta subsp. tazetta var. floribundus

See Narcissus tazetta L. for a description of the species. Narcissus tazetta L. subsp. tazetta, first coined in 1812 in the Transactions of the Horticultural Society [THS vol.1, p.362/1812], is now the accepted name for tazettiform narcissi with pure white segments and yellow corona. Baker describes 3 major series of N. tazetta: Tazettinae bicolores with white segments and yellow corona; Tazettinae albae with white segments and corona; and Tazettinae luteae with segments and corona both yellow. In addition Baker provides descriptions of a number of subspecies and varieties. In terms of distinguishing the several forms grown by William Macarthur, Baker’s system is rather helpful and is also given here [Baker Am.]. Macarthur’s Narcissus floribundus is probably Baker’s Narcissus tazetta L. subsp. lacticolor var. polyanthus.

The illustration used here, of tazettiformes growing at Camden Park today, includes representatives of all three of Baker’s series. Many more forms grow in the gardens.

Baker describes floribundus as a Tazettinae bicolores, differing little from the type. [Baker Am.]. Grey describes it as originating from the French Riviera and having 12-20 flowers per stem, with pure white segments and pale sulphur-yellow corona, ageing to white, which seems very close to Narcissus polyanthos Loisel., described as a Tazzetinae albae by Baker. [Baker Am.].

Narcissus varieties unidentified

Undescribed varieties but no doubt including some of more than 100 named tazettiforms mentioned by Baker. [Baker Am.]. A large number of tazettiforms, in a range of colours, are naturalised at Camden Park today and probably include some of the varieties included here. The illustration shows a selection of tazettiforms naturalised on Blarney Bank at Camden Park. The segments range from white to deep yellow and the coronas from the palest cream to orange. A pure white Narcissus papyraceus is seen at bottom right.

Narcissus viridiflorus Schousb.

Bulbous perennial with 1-2 hollow, cylindrical leaves, to 60cm, erect or spreading, produced separately to the flowers and not usually by flowering bulbs, and stems to 40cm, bearing up to 5, dull green, fragrant flowers in early winter. [RHSD, Hortus, Baker Am.].

Narcissus x compressus Haw. subsp. bifrons

Probably a hybrid between Narcissus jonquilla L. and Narcissus tazetta L., with characteristics intermediate between the two. [RHSD]. The plant described as Narcissus intermedius by Baker has about four, deeply-channelled leaves and umbels of up to ten flowers with oblong, spreading, bright lemon-yellow perianth segments and short, cup-shaped, orange-yellow corona. Hermione bifrons [ssp. bifrons] has narrower perianth segments and larger corona. [Baker Am.].

The Plant List considers Narcissus bifrons Ker Gawl. to be a form of Narcissus tazetta subsp. aureus Baker, but the evidence of the figure used to illustrate Ker Gawler’s description (used as illustration here) makes it much more likely that this plant is a hybrid as the author surmised.

Narcissus x compressus Haw. var. primulina

Narcissus x compressus Haw. is probably a hybrid between Narcissus jonquilla L. and Narcissus tazetta L., with characteristics intermediate between the two. [RHSD]. The plant described as Narcissus intermedius by Baker has about four, deeply-channelled leaves and umbels of up to ten flowers with oblong, spreading, bright lemon-yellow perianth segments and short, cup-shaped, orange-yellow corona. According to this author Hermione primulina, which he considers a distinct variety of Narcissus intermedius Loisel., has imbricated segments and a corona with a spreading margin. [Baker Am.]. The synonymy given here is for Narcissus x compressus Haw. rather than for primulina. The varietal name is included to assist differentiation.

Narcissus x incomparabilis Mill.

Narcissus poeticus L. x Narcissus pseudonarcissus L. A spring-flowering daffodil with leaves to 35cm and stem to 45cm, bearing a single flower with spreading, pale yellow perianth segments, to 8cm, and deeper yellow corona, about half as long as the segments. [RHSD, Hortus, Baker Am.].

Narcissus x incomparabilis Mill. var. 'Flore pleno'

See Narcissus x incomparabilis Mill. for information about the single form. 'Flore pleno' is a very double narcissus with clear yellow flowers. The variety ‘Butter and Eggs’, described by Baker as common in gardens, is different, very double, a clear yellow interspersed with the segments of a bright orange cup, hence the common name. [Baker Am.].

Narcissus x incomparabilis Mill. var. pale yellow

Macarthur’s Narcissus orientalis pale yellow is possibly the ‘Cream-coloured Narcissus of the Levant’ illustrated in Curtis’s Botanical Magazine as a variety of Narcissus orientalis L., although Sims later changed his opinion and considered this plant to be much closer to Narcissus x incomparabilis Mill., which see. His later view is somewhat corroborated by the plates provided.

Narcissus x medioluteus Mill.

Hybrid of Narcissus poeticus L. x Narcissus tazetta L. Leaves to about 70cm, and stem to 60cm, bearing usually 2 but occasionally 1 or 3, flowers per stem, with white perianth and shallow, wavy-margined pale yellow corona. Late flowering. There are a number of garden varieties. [RHSD, Hortus, Baker Am.].

Narcissus x odorus L.

Bulbous perennial with narrow, strap-shaped leaves and 1 or 2 strongly scented, golden-yellow flowers with large cups and narrow perianths, in spring. To 25cm. [RHSE, Botanica, Burbidge]. William Herbert showed that it is a hybrid between Ajax, a form of Narcissus pseudonarcissus L. and Narcissus jonqilla L.. [BR f. 38/1843].

Nematanthus longipes DC.

Frost-tender, evergreen, low-climbing shrub, with fleshy, ovate leaves, to 15cm long, and 1-3 deep scarlet flowers, spotted inside with dark red, produced in the leaf axils in almost continuous succession. To 60cm. [RHSD, Hortus].

Nemophila menziesii Hook. & Arn.

Fully hardy, fleshy-stemmed, spreading annual with solitary, saucer-shaped, bright blue flowers in summer. Unlike many other species of Nemophila, menziesii lacks dotting or veining in lighter or darker shades. To 20cm. [RHSD, Hortus].

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