426 THYMELiEiE. [rAiii n. 



ORDER CLXL— THYMEL^iE. 



This order is well known from the Mezereon 



and the Spurge Laurel, both common garden 



shrubs belonging to the genus Daphne. The 



berries of both are poisonous, and the bark 



acrid. The flowers of the Mezereon (D. Meze- 



reum) have a coloured calyx, which is tubular, 



with a four-cleft limb (see Jig, 143), which is 



slightly hairy on the outer surface, and pitted 



on the inner one. It is said that 



this calyx will separate readily 



into two, the inner part peeling 



off like a lining : but I have 



never been able to effect this 



Fig. 143.-A flower without tearing the outer cover- 

 OK MEZEREON. j^^^^ rpj^^^^ ^^^ ^j^j^^ authors, 



with scarcely any filaments, affixed in two rows 

 to the throat of the corolla ; and an egg-shaped 

 ovary, with a tufted stigma without any style. 

 The fruit is a drupe, that is, formed like a 

 plum, with a fleshy pericardium, enclosing a 

 stone or nut, the kernel of which is the seed, 

 and which sometimes appears to be partially 

 enveloped in a sort of hairy bag, which is the 

 lining of the ovary become loose. The flowers 

 of the Mezereon grow round the stem, with a 

 tuft of leaves at the top ; but those of the 

 Spurge Laurel (D. Laureola) are in a cluster of 



