Narcissus and Daffodil

400 C.G. Julian and P.W. Bowers
Figure 18.1 Daffodil picking: snapping off the flower stem.
Figure 18.2 Granulomatous rash on the wrist. (See Colour plate 3)
slides a hand down to the base of the flower stem and then snaps, cuts or pulls off
the stalk (Figure 18.1). During this process, the finger webs are particularly vulnerable
to trauma by the ends of the daffodil leaves or by stalks from previously
picked flowers. The base of the stalk continues to grow after the flowers have been
cropped, resulting in an increasing hazard to the pickers as each row may be
sequentially picked up to four times, with more protruding stalks on each occasion.
As the flowers are gathered, sap drips out from the stems onto the wrist and
forearm, causing further rash (Figure 18.2).