DAPHNE 



471 



D. MEZEREUM. Linnaus. MEZEREON. 



A deciduous, erect-branched shrub, ultimately 3 to 5 ft. high and as much 

 through, usually tapering to a naked base ; young shoots covered with small 

 flattened hairs. Leaves oblanceolate, tapering at the base to a short stalk, 

 rounded or pointed at the apex ; i J to 3^ ins. long, to in. wide ; dull 

 rather grey green, especially beneath ; smooth. Flowers purplish red, very 

 fragrant, produced from the buds of the leafless twigs in February and March ; 

 clustered closely on the branches in twos and threes. Each flower is \ in. 

 across, the four segments of the perianth ovate ; the tube \ in. long, slender, 

 downy. Berries globose, \ in. diameter, red. 



Native of Europe 

 and Siberia ; found 

 apparently wild, 

 though sparsely so in 

 Britain. This is one 

 of the earliest and 

 most attractive of our 

 s p r i n g - fl o w e r i n g 

 shrubs, and a healthy 

 specimen with its erect, 

 cylindrical masses of 

 blossom is precious for 

 both its rich colour 

 and its exquisite fra- 

 grance. It is also 

 beautiful with fruit 

 in autumn. In many 

 places it is not easy 

 to grow, and is apt 

 to die off. suddenly 

 without any apparent 

 cause. I think it loves 

 cool, moist conditions, 

 and is liable to ex- 

 haustion through ex- 

 cessive seed-bearing. 

 In the summer of 1910 

 I saw it naturalised in 

 a wood just above the 

 Falls of Niagara, on 

 the Canadian side, 

 very damp, and traversed by a multitude of streams making their way to the river. 



Var. ALBA, Aiton. Flowers dullish white ; fruits bright yellow. This 

 variety comes true from seed, and is somewhat more robust than the red- 

 flowered type. A form with purer white blossoms is known as " Paul's white." 

 There is also a form with double white flowers. var. FLORE ALBO PLENO. 



Var. GRANDIFLORA, Dippel (D. autumnalis, Hort.\ Commences to 

 flower in October and lasts until February. The flowers are rather larger 

 than in the type, and equally richly coloured and fragrant. As it does not bear 

 fruit usually, it is grafted on the type, which is readily propagated by seeds. 



D. NEAPOLITANA, Loddiges. 



(D. Fioniana, Hort. ; D. Delahayana, Hort,} 



A dense, erect-branched shrub, 2 to 3 ft. high, of bushy habit, and ever- 

 green ; shoots dark brown, with minute forward-pointing hairs. Leaves short- 



DAPHNE NEAPOLITANA. 



