Notice

Colin Mills, compiler of the Hortus Camdenensis, died in late November 2012 after a short illness. As he always considered the Hortus his legacy, it is his family's intention to keep the site running in perpetuity. It will not, however, be updated in the near future.

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.].  

Horticultural & Botanical History

First botanically described by Miller in his Gardeners’ Dictionary as Narcissus incomparabilis in 1768: ‘Daffodil with one flower in a sheath, having a very short bell-shaped nectarium, and declining flamina’ [Gard. Dict. ed.8, sp.3/1768]. It is now considered to be a hybrid.

Herbert demonstrated that incomparabilis, ‘or the genus Queltia of Haworth’, is a hybrid between Ajax and Narcissus poeticusAjax, ‘with its enormous cup’, is a variety of N. pseudo-narcissus.  [BR vol.29 f.38/1843].  ‘This species of Narcissus, though well described and figured by the old Botanists, especially Parkinson, has been overlooked by Linnaeus.  It is undoubtedly the incomparable Daffodil of Parkinson, figured in his Garden of Pleasant Flowers; and the incomparabilis of Miller’s Dict. ed. 6. 4to. the latter informs us, that he received roots of it from Spain and Portugal, which fixes its place of growth.  It is a very hardy bulbous plant, and flowers in April; in its single state it is very ornamental, the petals are usually pale yellow, and the nectary inclined to be orange, which towards the brim is more brilliant in some than in others; in its double state it is well known to gardeners, by the name of Butter and Egg Narcissus, and of this there are two varieties, both of which produce very shewy flowers, the one with colours similar to what we have above described, which is the most common, the other with petals of a pale sulphur colour, almost white, and the nectary bright orange his, which is one of the most ornamental of the whole tribe, is named in Dutch Catalogues, the Orange Phoenix; its blossoms are so large as frequently to require supporting; its bulbs may be had of many of the Nurseries about London, and of those who, profiting by the supineness of our English gardeners, import bulbs from abroad.’  [BM t.121/1790].  Introduced to Britain from Portugal in 1629.  [JD].

History at Camden Park

Listed in all published catalogues [B.339/1843].

Notes

Published May 18, 2009 - 06:20 PM | Last updated Aug 08, 2012 - 02:43 PM

Illustrated are leaf and bright yellow daffodil with spreading perianth and medium cup. Curtis's Botanical Magazine t.121, 1790.

Narcissus x incomparabilis Mill. | BM t.121/1790 | BHL

 

Family Amaryllidaceae
Category
Region of origin

Garden origin, southern Europe

Synonyms
  • Diomedes × sabinii (Lindl.) Haw. ex Herb.
  • Jonquilla × incomparabilis (Mill.) Raf.
  • Narcissus × albidus Schult. & Schult.f.
  • Narcissus × albus (Haw.) Spach
  • Narcissus × amplus Salisb.
  • Narcissus × aurantius (Haw.) Schult. & Schult.f.
  • Narcissus × bericus Turra ex Marz.-Penc.
  • Narcissus × bernardii DC. ex Hénon
  • Narcissus × gouanii Roth
  • Narcissus × incomparabiliformis Rouy
  • Narcissus × juratensis Rouy
  • Narcissus moschatus var. sabinii (Lindl.) Nyman
  • Narcissus × parkinsonii Steud. ex Spach
  • Narcissus × queltia Sweet
  • Narcissus × sabinii Lindl.
  • Narcissus × stella auct.
  • Narcissus × sulphureus Sweet
  • Queltia × alba Haw.
  • Queltia × ampla (Salisb.) Salisb.
  • Queltia × aurantia Haw.
  • Queltia × biternaceus Salisb.
  • Queltia × concolor Haw.
  • Queltia × foetida Herb.
  • Queltia × gouanii (Roth) Haw.
  • Queltia × incomparabilis (Mill.) Haw.
  • Queltia × nivea Haw.
  • Queltia × parkinsonii (Steud. ex Spach) M.Roem.
  • Queltia × sabinii (Lindl.) M.Roem.
  • Queltia × semipartita Haw.

 

Common Name

Chalice cup narcissus, Peerless daffodil

Name in the Camden Park Record

Narcissus incomparabilis 

 

Confidence level high