560 



MEDICAL BOTANY. 



Fig. 243. 



Many of the species have been used in medicine, but one only is officinal in 

 the U. S. Pharmacopoeia. 



D. mezereum, Linn. — Flowers ternary, sessile on the stem. Leaves lanceolate, deci- 

 duous. 



Linn., Sp. PI. 509 ; Woodville, iv. t. 245 ; Stokes, ii. 372 ; Stephenson 

 and Churchill, ii. 65 ; Flor. Med. v. 236 ; Lindley, FL Med. 324. 

 Common Names. — Mezereon j Spurge Olive. 

 Foreign Names.^-Bois gentil, Fr. / Biondella, It. ; Kellerkals, Gen 



Description. — Root large. 

 Stem bushy, with many 

 upright, alternate branches, 

 leafy when young, and co- 

 vered with a smooth gray 

 bark. The leaves are deci- 

 duous, lanceolate, scattered, 

 petiolated, smooth, appear- 

 ing after the flowers, and 

 accompanied with the flow- 

 er-buds of the next season. 

 The flowers are in clusters, 

 sessile on the naked branch- 

 es, with several smooth, 

 ovate bracts ; they are of a 

 pale rose-colour, very fra- 

 grant, and consist of a peta- 

 loid calyx, which is tubular, 

 with the limb divided into 

 four deep, ovate, spreading 

 segments. The stamens 

 are eight in number, alter- 

 nately longer, inserted into 

 D. mezereum. the tube, and furnished with 



1. Stamens. 2. Pistil. 3. Part of berry and seed. roundish, oblong anthers. 



The ovary is ovate, supe- 

 rior, bearing a short style with a flattish, entire stigma. The fruit is a pulpy, scarlet 

 berry, containing a single seed. 



The Mezereon is a native in many parts of Europe, flowering very early 

 in the season, before the appearance of the leaves. There are several varieties, 

 with different coloured flowers and fruit. It is by no means certain that this 

 plant was known to the ancients, though some of the other species were certainly 

 familiar to them. The first definite account of this one is given by Tragus 

 {Hist. Stirp. 1532), under the name of Thymeka, by which appellation it is 

 also noticed by many succeeding writers. The Mezereon of the Arabian 

 writers is stated to be the Cneorum tricoccon by most writers, on the autho- 

 rity of Bauhin ; but both Cordus and Schroderare of opinion that it is theD. 

 cnidium. 



The genus Daphne has been much divided by modern botanists, and the 

 present plant now forms the type of Mezereum; but as these changes are 

 not recognised in the officinal lists, I have preferred to consider it under the 

 present head, rather than to adopt the more correct nomenclature. 



The part directed to be used, is the bark of the root; this is tough, pliable, 

 and fibrous, externally corrugated, and of a brown colour, and internally cot- 

 tony and white. Most of that found in the shops comes from Germany, and 

 is derived from the stem and branches ; it is in long strips, folded in bundles, 

 of a grayish or reddish-brown colour externally, under Which, on the removal 



