260 SHADE PLANTS OF THE ALPINE FORESTS 



to which it has an extraordinary resemblance in 

 habit. It is an erect shrub, 1 to 3 feet high, much 

 branched at the base, the lower portions of the shoots 

 being bare and leafless, though showing numerous 

 leaf scars, marking the position of former leaves. 

 Little tufts of leaves are borne near the ends of the 

 branches, and are shed each autumn. In this respect 

 the Mezereon differs from the Alpenroses, which are 

 evergreen. 



In the spring the flowers appear before the leaves, 

 as in our British Coltsfoot and other plants. They 

 are borne in clusters, each of several flowers, in the 

 axils of the leaves of the previous year. The leaves 

 themselves disappeared last autumn, but their position 

 is indicated by the scars on the branches. The 

 flowers are destitute of a corolla. The four sepals, 

 however, are united into a rose-coloured tube, and 

 perform the attractive function. They are sweet 

 scented, and much visited by flies and other insects. 

 The fruit is a red berry. 



Although the Mezereon is frequent in the forests, 

 it is not confined to that particular habitat, but is often 

 to be found growing in the rocky pastures. The two 

 other species, Daphne alpina, Linn., and D. striata, 

 Tratt, are easily distinguished by the fact that the 

 flowers are arranged in umbrella- shaped clusters, and 

 appear with or after the leaves. The former species 

 has white flowers, the latter white or rose-coloured 

 sepals. The calyx tube of Daphne striata is longer 

 and narrower at the mouth than that of the Mezereon, 



