Narcissus Narrow-leaved

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Narcissus narrow-leaved - scientific name Narcissus angustifolius. This flower culture can be found on the slopes of the Alpine mountains, in the valleys of France and Switzerland, and in the Transcarpathian region there is a whole reserve dedicated to daffodils, it is called "Valley of Narcissus". In early May, the huge area of the reserve (257 hectares) is covered with islands of snow-white flowers. Unfortunately, this splendor does not last long, by the end of June the flowering ends.

Interesting Facts

Narcissus narrow-leaved is a wild, bulbous, perennial plant belonging to the Amaryllis family. Despite the fact that there are more than 60 species of these plants, the narrow-leaved narcissus is listed in the Red Book as an endangered species. Translated from the Greek "narcao" - anesthesia, intoxicating, this name the daffodil received due to its unique intoxicating aroma. In ancient Greek mythology, there is a legend about the narcissus. Narcissus was the name of a young man who entered the territory of a mysterious stream.

Animals did not drink from this reservoir, birds did not sing near it, and even foliage did not fall on the crystal clear surface of the water. After the exhausted hunter quenched his thirst, he saw his reflection in the water, and could not take his admiring eyes off him. The narcissistic young man died of melancholy on the shore of the reservoir, unable to part with his reflection even for a second. The sisters of the beautiful young man, upon learning of his death, cut off their long hair and surrounded the place of death with it, and it was decided to put the young man on fire. But as soon as the funeral pyre caught fire, the body of the young man disappeared, and in its place was a beautiful flower with a wondrous, delicate scent.

Characteristics of the species

Narcissus narrow-leaved has: a slightly flattened ovoid bulb; leafless stem, the height of which reaches 30-50 cm; single flower; short crown with stamens; basal foliage and roots, whose lifespan is a maximum of 3 months, after which they die off.

Narcissus narrow-leaved flower large, reaches a diameter of 6-8 centimeters. Consists of 6 lobes, white or slightly yellowish shades and a short yellow tubular crown, along the edge of which there is a bright red-orange or yellow edging. Narcissus narrow-leaved has thin, long, basal leaves of green color with a slight blue tint. Around one stem there are from 2 to 4 leaves, the length of which is about 40 centimeters.

Where is used

Narcissus narrow-leaved is a poisonous plant, if handled carelessly, it can cause an allergic reaction, accompanied by itching, irritation and redness of the skin. It is for this reason that it is practically not used in horticulture. But it is very popular in the field of medicine. The chemical composition of the Narcissus angustifolia bulb is truly unique. It contains alkaloids such as amaryline, galantamine and lycorin.

By extracting the individual components, very useful medicines can be obtained. For example, galantamine is used in medicine for the treatment of such diseases as: poliomyelitis, sciatica, muscle atrophy, myopathy, myasthenia gravis, in diseases of the musculoskeletal system; drugs containing lycorin are prescribed for diseases of the respiratory tract, to enhance the discharge of sputum.

In folk medicine, compresses are made from the bulbs of narrow-leaved narcissus to relieve inflammation, edema, treat boils and purulent abscesses, as eye lotions, to treat all forms of mastitis, accompanied by severe edema and fever, the temperature and edema will subside upon first use.

To create such a tincture, it is necessary to thoroughly wash the plant bulb, peel off the scales, and dry well in the sun. After the tuber is dry, it must be grated and soaked in milk. Due to the fact that narrow-leaved narcissus is highly poisonous, ointments and tinctures from it are suitable only for external use.