N. Ord. THYMELACE.E. 

 Genus Daphne, Linn. 



227. Daphne Gnidium,* Linn., Sp. Plant., ed. I, p. 357 (1753). 



Spurge Flax. 



Syn. D. paniculata, Lam. 



Figures. Hayne, iii, t. 45; Flora Graeca, t. 356; Reichenb., Ic. Fl. 

 Germ., xi, t. 553. 



Description. A small bush, about 2 5 feet high, with many 

 slender, ascending, cylindrical branches ; bark brownish or 

 purplish grey, marked with small pale leaf-scars, slightly wrinkled. 

 Leaves very numerous, alternate, crowded in the upper parts of 

 the branches where they form a dense tuft, overlapping, ascending, 

 persistent, sessile, 1 1J inch long, linear- or narrowly oblong- 

 lanceolate, gradually tapering at the base, rather suddenly narrowed 

 into the sharp acuminate apex, entire, quite glabrous, thick, 

 midrib prominent beneath. Flowers small, on short pedicels 

 with which they articulate, arranged on the somewhat divaricate 

 lax branches of several small panicles which terminate the stem 

 and arise from the axils of the uppermost leaves which they 

 considerably exceed in length ; the whole forming a somewhat loose 

 corymbose terminal inflorescence, branches covered with white 

 down or silk, no bracts. Perianth about 5 inch long, densely downy 

 outside, white, the divisions short ; the rest as in D. Laureola. 

 Fruit small, about \ inch long, ovoid, slightly tapering, scarlet ; 

 structure that of the genus. 



Habitat. This species of Daphne is a frequent plant in the 

 south of France, Spain, Portugal, and the western Mediterranean 

 coasts and island, extending also ^to the Canaries and Madeira ; 

 eastward it reaches Greece, but is not found in Asia Minor. It 

 grows in dry sunny situations, heaths and pine woods, producing 

 its small scented flowers from July to September, being thus very 



* Gnidium, ttvihoq, native to Cnidos ; a name given by Dioscorides to a 

 small shrub, possibly the present one. 



