LX. THYMELA‘CEE: DA’PHNE. 687 
A. Leaves deciduous. 
a | D. Mezereum L. The Mezereon Daphne, or common Mezereon. 
Jdentification Lin. Sp. Pl., p. 509. ; Willd. Sp. Pl., 2. p. 415.; Eng. Flora, 2. p. 228. 
Synonymes. Spurge Olive, Spurge Flax; Flowering Spurge, Parkinson; Dwarf Bay, Gerard; 
Laureole femelle, Bois gentil, Mézéreon, Bois joli, Fr.; gemeiner Seidelbast, or Kellerbalz, 
Gere i Peperachtige Daphne, Dutch ; Laureola femina, Biondella, Camelia, Ital, ; Laureola hem- 
ca, Span. 
Derivation. Mezereum and Mezereon are said to be derived from madzaryon, the Persian name 
for this shrub. 
Engravings. Eng. Bot., t. 1381.; Ged. FL Dan., t. 268. ; and our jig. 1337. 
Spec. Char., &c. Leaves lanceolate, deciduous. Flowers distributed over: 
the branches in threes mostly, and in pairs and fours, expanded before the 
leaves are protruded. (Willd.) A low, fastigiate, deciduous shrub. North of" 
Europe, in woods ; and in the South and West of England, but rare. Height 
3 ft. to 4 ft. Flowers red; February, March, or April. Berries red; ripe 
in August or September. 
Varieties. 
« D. M. 2 flére albo. — Flowers white, and fruit yellow. 
a D. M. 3 autumnale. — Habit spreading ; 
also with larger leaves than the species, 
and producing its flowers in autumn. A 
most desirable shrub, being commonly 
covered with its gay pinkish blossoms 
from November to March. 
The whole shrub is poisonous to human beings, 
though the berries are favourite food for finches 
and other birds, more especially the robin. It 
is of easy culture, and generally propagated 
by seeds; which, if suffered to get dry before 
they are sown, will remain two years in the 
soil; but which, if sown in autumn immediately 
after gathering them, generally come up the fol- 
lowing spring. The best time for transplanting 
this shrub is in October, as it begins to vegetate 
very soon after Christmas. It thrives most in a 
loamy soil, and in an open situation ; and, when 
it is properly treated, and has room, it will in 8 
or 10 years form a bush 5 or 6 feet high, and 7 or 8 
feet in diameter. The white variety is commonly 1357. D. Mezereum. 
selected from seedlings, after they have come into 
flower ; or the seeds from white-flowered plants are sown, which are generally 
found to come true. 
a 2. D. atvaica Pall, The Altaic Daphne. 
Identijication. Pall. F1. Ross., 1. p. 53. t. 35.; Willd. Sp. Pl. 2. p. 422. 
Synonymes. Daphné altaique, Laureole de Tartarie, ’r.; Sibirischer Seidelbast, Ger. 
Engravings. Pall. Fl. Ross., 1. t. 35.; Bot. Mag., t. 1875. ; Bot. Cab., t. 399. ; and our fig. 1238, 
Spec. Char., §c. Leaves obovate-lanceolate, 
glabrous. Flowers sessile, in terminal umbels, 
about 5 in anumbel. Bark reddish brown 
in colour. Leaves oblong, broader towards 
the upper extremity, and narrowed down- 
wards, of a somewhat glaucous and yellowish 
green, the latter colour prevailing most while 
they are young. Lobes of the calyx revolute. 
(Sims.) A low deciduous shrub. Altaic Alps, 
in Siberia. Height 1 ft. to 3 ft. Introduced | 
in 1796. Flowers white, scentless ; April and 
May. Berries red ; ripe in September. iia Heda 
