Autumn daffodil (Narcissus serotinus) is a delicate native plant that blooms after the first rains from September until December, adorning landscapes, cultivated fields, waste ground and roadsides with its pure beauty.

The genus name Narcissus is derived from the mythological figure Narcissus (Gr: Νάρκισσος). Narcissus, a hunter from Thespiae in Boeotia renowned for his beauty, was the son of the river god Cephissus and nymph Liriope. His good looks captivated everyone, yet he rejected all advances of love. Nemesis, the goddess of revenge, noticed Narcissus’ cruelty toward others and decided to punish him. She led him to a pool of water, where he saw his own reflection in the water and fell in love with it, not realizing it was merely an image.

Unable to leave the beauty of his reflection, Narcissus remained by the pool until he eventually withered away, dying of thirst and starvation. In his place, a beautiful flower, the narcissus, bloomed.

Another version of the myth tells of Narcissus and the mountain nymph Echo, who fell madly in love with him. When Narcissus rejected her, Echo ran to hide in the mountains and forests. Her body then wasted away, becoming thinner and thinner, until she vanished into thin air, her bones became rocks and only her voice remained. For this reason, Echo is heard by everyone in mountains and in caves, though no one can see her.

A beautiful floor mosaic depicting Narcissus admiring his reflection in a lake can be seen at the House of Dionysus in the Kato Pafos Archaeological Park.

Narcissus is the origin of the term “narcissism,” which refers to an excessive fixation on self-admiration and a preoccupation with one’s appearance.

The genus Narcissus has been extensively used in traditional medicine to address a variety of health problems like antiviral, antifungal and antitumor activities.