THYMELACE^. [Daphne. 



the former is smooth and the latter remarkably thin and delicate. With many 

 pomts in common between P. Convolvulus and its varieties and P. dumetorum; it 

 IS certain that the latter preserves a peculiarity of aspect and an identity of cha- 

 racter highly favourable to the opinion that they are distinct as species, nor would 

 anything short of actual proof to the contrary, except a inowledge of the protean 

 tendencies of the whole genus to variation, justify their being united. 



Order LXV. THYMELACE^, Juss. 



_ "^mani/f free, tubular, often coloured, 4— 5 cleft. Stamens 

 inserted upon the tube, definite, when equalling in number the 

 segments of the perianth opposite to them. Anthers 2-celled, 

 opening longitudinally. Ovary 1, free, 1-celled, with 1 pendulous 

 ovule. Style 1 and stigma 1, undivided. Fruit an achene, herry 

 or drupe. Seed 1, pendulous. Albumen none, or thin and fleshy. 

 1-iadicle superior. Shrubby, without stipules."— 5r. Fl. 



I. Daphne, Linn. Laurel. 



Perianth single, often coloured, 4-fid. Stamens 8. Fruit a 

 berry. 



Elegant evergreen or deciduous shrubs, of rather humble growth, with tough 

 pliant branches, purple, white or greenish flowers, which often appear in early 

 spring, and are highly fragrant. Berries red or black, and with the bark posses- 

 mg intense acrimony. 



1. D. Laureola, L. Spurge Laurel. Vect. Copse or Wood 

 Laurel. Eacemes axillary drooping about 6 — 10 flowered, leaves 

 obovato-lanceolate attenuated below glabrous evergreen. Sm. E. 

 Fl. ii. 229. Br. Fl. p. 361. Bab. Man. 261. E. B. ii. t. 119. 

 Loud. Arb. Brit. iii. 1309, fig. 1183. Jacq. Fl. Aust. Icon. ii. 49, 

 t. 183. Lind. Syn. 209. 



In woods, thickets, groves and shady hedgerows, on a damp clay (more rarely 

 chalky) soil, principally in East Medina and the neighbourhood of Byde; fre- 

 quent. -F/. January— April, i^r. June, July. Ij. 



E. Med. — In Quarr copse. Shore copse, and by the roadside (right-hand one) 

 from Quarr abbey to the Fish-houses, frequent. In the lane between Binstead 

 church and the Newport road, sparingly. About Ninhaui farm and many other 

 places about Hyde, but nowhere abundantly. Frequent in thickets and hedge- 

 banks by the roadside between Ryde and Ashey, just before coming to Aldermoor 

 heath. Amongst the trees between the pond and the lodge of Kyde house, also in 

 the hollow or dell by the brickfield at Brooklands, Binstead, but very sparingly 

 in both places. Wooded bank betweeu Brading and Nunwell. Below Apley 

 house. On the bank at the top of a sloping field immediately above Span farm, 



Fayopyrum esculentum (Buckwheat or Brank), occurs in fields and waste 

 places, the remains of or a stray from cultivation, being largely grown as food for 

 pheasants, but is scarcely naturalized here. 



The English name Buckwheat is an exact translation of the Latin Fagopy- 

 mm, itself a Greek derivation from ipnyoj and ttu^o;, i, e., Beech-wheat, Buck 

 weilzen in German, having nothing to do with deer, and as little apparent con- 

 nexion with the tree whose name it bears, except it be from the resemblance of 

 its seed to those of the beech-tree. 



