THE SPURGE LAUREL FAMILY. 243 



Oleaster {Elceagnus angustifolius and E. orientalis, now 

 considered as one species under the name of E. hortensis). A 

 small stiff-branched tree, growing from 15 — 20 feet high, 

 having hoary willow-like leaves and small yellow flowers 

 which perfume the air for a considerable distance. It is a 

 native of the South of Europe and Western Asia, forming a 

 scrub in the desert. The berries are dried by the Arabs and 

 made into cakes, and it is supposed to have formed part of 

 the merchandize that the Ishmaelites* carried into Egypt. 

 The berries are known by the name of Trebizond dates. 



BufEalo Berry (^Shepherdia argentea). A low bush, with 

 pretty silvery lance^shaped leaves. It is found abundant in 

 the United States and many parts of North America. The 

 berries are about the size of currants, and form a considerable 

 portion of the food of the Utah Indians. 



The Spurge Laurel Family. 



(Thymelaceje.) 



Shrubs or small trees, having tough fibrous bark, with 

 simple, opposite, or alternate broad or heath-like leaves. 

 Flowers solitary, in spikes, round heads, or umbels often con- 

 tained in a leafy involucrum, which as well as the calyx is 

 generally coloured and corolla-like. Stamens 2— 4— 8. Pistil 1. 

 Fruit a 1 -seeded berry-like drupe or dry nut. 



A considerable family of plants consisting of 300 or more 

 species, many being natives of South Africa and Australia ; 

 others of tropical America. It is represented in Europe 

 and India by the genus Daphne, and in North America by 

 the leather-wood shrub, Dirca palustris. 



Mezereon {Daphne Mezereon). An early flowering shrub, 

 said to be found wild in this country. It is a favourite in 

 gardens, both for its sweet- smelling flowers and pretty ber- 

 ries, which are its only recommendation, they as well 

 as the whole plant being blistering, acrid, and poisonous. 



* Genesis, chap, xxxvii. ver. 25. 

 R 2 



