312 • SPURGE-LAUREL. 



The perianth is single, funnel-shaped, pale yellowish green, 

 deciduous, with a four-cleft limb separable into two laminae. 

 The stamens are included, arranged in two rows of four each, 

 with very short filaments and two-celled yellowish anthers. 

 The germen is ovate, supporting a very short style, and an 

 undivided capitate stigma. The fruit is an ovate, bluish- 

 black drupe, with a succulent covering, resembling a berry, 

 containing a hard nut, with a solitary pendulous seed. 

 Plate 42, fig. 3, (a) perianth opened to show the stamens; 

 (6) pistil ; (c) nut. 



This plant is a native of the south of Europe, Austria, 

 and Switzerland, and is not uncommon in woods, thickets, 

 and hedges in England, particularly in Yorkshire. It is 

 found in Scotland, chiefly about Rosslyn and Bothwell. 

 It flowers in February and March. 



The name Laureola has been given to this shrub, because its 

 foliage has some resemblance to that of the Laurus or Laurel. 

 Some have thought the Spurge-Laurel to be the x a f JMi ^ a ^ vrt 

 of Dioscorides and the Kvtupov of Theophrastus. Gerard says, 

 " it is called of diuers Lawrell and Lowry." 



Spurge- Laurel is valued in shrubberies as an evergreen, for 

 the early appearance of its flowers, and because it thrives under 

 the shade and drip of other trees. 



Qualities. — The Spurge-Laurel flowers, leaves, bark, and 

 fruit, especially the two latter, are nauseous and very acrid, 

 scarcely perceptible to the taste at first, but soon affecting the 

 tongue, palate, and fauces with a sensation of burning heat, 

 which lasts for a considerable time. The berry or rather the 

 nut of the drupe contains, as in the Mezereon, an oily matter, 

 on which its acrid and caustic properties appear to depend. 

 Van Swieten, who tasted a little of this oil squeezed from the 

 berries between his fingers, found it mild to the taste at first, 

 but in a short time it produced inflammation of the fauces, and 

 he was nearly suffocated*. The bark probably contains the 

 same principle as that of Mezereon. 



Poisonous Properties. — It is apparent from the foregoing 

 statement, that this plant is an acrid poison. The berries, 

 however, are the favourite food of some birds, particularly 



* Comment, vol. i. p. 638. 



