daffodil [M16] To understand the curious history of daffodil one has to start with another flower, the asphodel [LME]. This Mediterranean plant gets its name via Latin asphodilus or asphodelus from Greek asphodelos, of unknown origin. In the Middle Ages this got corrupted to affodill, which was used for a bewildering range of plants: wild garlic, the various forms of asphodel, and the daffodil. The latter two plants were affoldils into at least the 19th century. Somehow (how is not known) affodil acquired a ‘d’ in front, and we ended up with daffodils. See also narcissus.