LX. THYMELA^CE^ I 



687 



A. Leaves deciduous. 

 j 1 D. MEZE^REUM L. The Mezereon Daphne, or common Mezereon. 



Identification Lin. Sp. PI., p. 509. ; Willd. Sp. PI., 2. p. 415. ; Eng. Flora, 2. p. 228. 



Synonymes. Spurge Olive, Spurge Flax; Flowering Spurge, Parkinson; Dwarf Bay, Gerard ; 

 Laureole femelle, Bois gentil, Mezereon, Bois joli, Fr. ; gemeiner Seidelbast, or Kellerbalz, 

 Ir^r. : Peperachtige Daphne, Dutch ; Laureola femina, Biondella, Camelia, Ital. ; Laureola hem- 



Derivation. Mezereum and Mezereon are said to be derived from madzaryon, the Persian name 



for this shrub. 

 Engravings. Eng. Bot., t. 1381. ; CEd. Fl. Dan., t. 208. ; and our Jig. 1337. 



Spec. Char., $c. Leaves lanceolate, deciduous. Flowers distributed over 

 the branches in threes mostlv, and in pairs and fours, expanded before the 

 leaves are protruded. ( Willd.} A low, fastigiate, deciduous shrub. North of 

 Europe, in woods ; and in the South and West of England, but rare. Height 

 3 ft. to 4 ft. Flowers red ; February, March, or April. Berries red ; ripe 

 in August or September. 



Varieties. 



j* D. M. 2 fibre dlbo. Flowers white, and fruit yellow. 

 .1* D. M. 3 autumndle. Habit spreading ; 



also with larger leaves than the species, 



and producing its flowers in autumn. A 



most desirable shrub, being commonly 



covered with its gay pinkish blossoms 



from November to March. 



The whole shrub is poisonous to human beings, 

 though the berries are favourite food for finches 

 and other birds, more especially the robin. It 

 is of easy culture, and generally propagated 

 by seeds ; * which, if suffered to get dry before 

 they are sown, will remain two years in the 

 soil ; but which, if sown in autumn immediately 

 after gathering them, generally come up the fol- 

 lowing spring. The best time for transplanting 

 this shrub is in October, as it begins to vegetate 

 very soon after Christmas. It thrives most in a 

 loamy soil, and in an open situation ; and, when 

 it is properly treated, and has room, it will in 8 

 or 10 years form a bush 5 or 6 feet high, and 7 or 8 

 feet in diameter. The white variety is commonly , 337 . Di Xutreum , 



selected from seedlings, after they have come into 



flower ; or the seeds from white-flowered plants are sown, which are generally 

 found to come true. 



jt, 2. D, ALTA'ICA Pall. The Altaic Daphne. 



Identification. Pall. Fl. Ross., 1. p. 53. t. 35. ; Willd. Sp. PI., 2. p. 422. 



Synonymes. Daphne altaique, Laureole de Tartarie, Fr. ; Sibirischer Seidelbast, Ger. 



Engravings. Pall. Fl. Ross., 1. t. 35. ; Bot. Mag., t. 1875. ; Bot. Cab., t. 399. ; and our Jig. 1338. 



Spec. Char., fyc. Leaves obovate-lanceolate, 

 glabrous. Flowers sessile, in terminal umbels, 

 about 5 in an umbel. Bark reddish brown 

 in colour. Leaves oblong, broader towards 

 the upper extremity, and narrowed down- 

 wards, of a somewhat glaucous and yellowish 

 green, the latter colour prevailing most while 

 they are young. Lobes of the calyx revolute. 

 (Sims.) A low deciduous shrub. Altaic Alps, 

 in Siberia. Height 1 ft. to 3 ft. Introduced 

 in 1796. Flowers white, scentless ; April and 

 May. Berries red ; ripe in September. 1338 n a||ftlcat 



