4 2 4 



THYMELjEACE/E 



water into strong lace patterns. Daphne japonica, D. indica, and 

 other species are commonly cultivated in conservatories and 

 gardens for the sake of the delicious fragrance of their blossoms. 

 The berries of the Spurge Laurel (Daphne Laureola), the com- 

 moner of the two species which represent the Order in Britain, 

 are poisonous to all animals except birds ; and both the bark and 

 root of the other British species, the Meze'reon (Daphne 

 Mezereum), though used in medicine, are very violent in their 

 effects. 



t. Daphne (Spurge Laurel). — Shrubs 



with leaves usually 

 scattered and ever- 

 green ; flowers frag- 

 rant ; perianth tubu- 

 lar, with 4 spreading 

 lobes ; stamens 8, 

 sub-sessile, includ- 

 ed. (Name, the 

 Greek for a Laurel, 

 which it resembles 

 in its foliage.) 



i. D. Mezereum 

 (Meze'reon). — A 

 shrub with few erect 

 branches ; very frag- 

 rant, pink -flowers, 

 sessile, 3 together, 

 appearing before 

 the leaves ; leaves 

 stalked, obovate, 

 acute, not ever- 

 green ; fruit red, 

 ovoid. — Woods ; 

 very rare.— Fl. February — April. Perennial. 



2. D. Laureola (Spurge Laurel). — A low shrub, about 2 feet 

 high, very little branched, and remarkable for its smooth, erect 

 stems, which are bare of leaves except at the summit. The leaves 

 are smooth, shining, leathery, and evergreen ; the flowers green, in 

 drooping, axillary clusters, and in mild weather fragrant ; the 

 berries black, ovoid, and poisonous — Woods ; not common. If 

 transplanted from the woods and potted, it may be employed 

 with advantage as a stock on which to graft D. indica. The 

 operation should be carried out in spring, with the leafy extremity 

 of a shoot rather less in diameter than the stock. Hybrids 



dAphn£ laur£ola (Spurge Laurel). 



