The Initiation and Growth of Narcissus Bulbs

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Abstract
Plants of two Narcissus cultivars were dissected periodically over a year to study initiation, growth, and dry-weight changes of flowers and daughter bulb units in relation to the position of the daughter bulbs in the branching system. A Narcissus bulb is a branching system comprising terminal and lateral bulb units; the former bear both terminal and lateral bulb units, but laterals contain only terminal ones. This basic pattern may be modified by the failure of lateral bulb units or the development of supernumerary ones. Differences in bulb unit size, in scale and leaf number, and in flowering, related to position in the branching system, are probably due to the initiation of lateral bulb units some months after terminal ones. This affects the growth and behaviour of the laterals and daughter bulb units borne by these laterals in the next generation. Bulb units live about four years; after the loss of their leaf blades and flowers, the scales and leaf bases act as storage organs whose weight increases or decreases according to the carbohydrate status of the plant. Growth of bulb units shows an externally controlled alternation of rapid and slow growth. This is likely to be an effect of day length on bulbing.

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