SANTALACE^ 



125 



bles a small olive (whence the name of the tree), 

 with sweet white firm pulp, and a long stone. 



Order LXXVIII. Thymelacece (1 genus) 



Mezereon — Daphne Mezereum 



(Plate LXXXV) 



Only two shrubs belonging to this Order are 

 found in Britain, both belonging to the genus 

 Daphne : the Mezereon {Daphne Mezereum), with 

 red berries ; and the Spurge Laurel {Daphne Lau- 

 reola), with dark purplish berries. The Mezereon 

 grows wild in damp woods, but is oftener to be 

 seen in shrubberies, being a very ornamental plant, 

 which begins to flower as early as February. It 

 grows to the height of 2 or 3 feet, and the twigs 

 are slender and flexible. The bark is smooth and 

 yellowish grey. The leaves stand on short stalks 

 towards the ends of the branches, and are smooth, 

 entire, flexible, and of a pale green. The pink 

 flowers appear before the leaves, and form small 

 clusters of two or three together round the branches 

 near their extremity. They have a sweet and 



penetrating odour. The perianth has 4 petals, 

 and 8 stamens inserted in the tube. The anthers 

 open longitudinally. There is 1 short style, with 

 a stigma; and a i-celled ovary, with 1 pendent 

 ovule. The leaves do not fully appear till the 

 flowers have fallen. The berries are almost round, 

 smooth, and juicy, and contain a rather large 

 yellowish seed. They are ripe in July. All parts 

 of this shrub are extremely acrid and poisonous ; 

 and even the odour of the flowers, though fragrant, 

 has been known to produce headache and sickness. 

 The berries have at first a sweetish taste. 



It will be remembered that Daphne was the 

 name of the nymph who was changed into a laurel 

 tree as she was fleeing from Apollo, as related in 

 the first book of Ovid's " Metamorphoses." 



Order LXXIX. Santalacece (1 genus) 



A small family, to which the fragrant Sandal- 

 wood of the East Indies belongs ; represented in 

 Britain by a single species only. The Flax-leaved 

 Thesium (Thesittm linophyllum), is a plant with a 



