My Dutch name ‘narcis’ is taken from the Greek word nárkissos and is linked to the mythological figure of Narcissus.

But it can’t be ruled out that my name was also originally linked to the Greek word ‘narkè’, which means ‘numbness’ or ‘torpor’ – think of the word ‘narcosis’, derived from the Greek ‘narkosis’, meaning ‘anaesthesia’.

This also alludes to the strong smell some daffodils have, which is said to make people sleepy.

The word ‘daffodil’ comes from the medieval English word ‘asphodel’, from ‘asphodelus’, the name the Ancient Greeks used for a flower they thought was identical to me.

Which is very strange, because the flower looks nothing like me, and isn’t even family.

In France they have a more logical name for me: jonquille.

The word comes from the Spanish ‘junquillo’, a diminutive of ‘junco’, meaning ‘rush’ or ‘reed’, for my slender leaves.