j
I
in terminal small umbels, that are upon
conspicuous footstalks and smooth. Anthers
unequally 4-celled. Sexes polygamous.
(Nutt.) A deciduous shrub, with
the branches flexuous, grey, smooth, and
so remarkably divaricated as to give a characteristic
appearance to the ponds which
they border. Virginia to Florida, in sandy
swamps, and on the margins of lagoons.
Height 8ft. to 12ft. Introduced in 1759.
Flowers yellow ; April and May. Berries
globose, scarlet; rarely seen in England. 133R. /-• goniculàia.
O rder LX . THYM E LA 'C E zE .
O r d . C h a r . Perianth tubular, coloured, 4—5-cleft, often furnished with scales
in the throat. Stamens usually 8, sometimes 4, rarely 2, inserted in the throat
of the perianth. Ovarium superior, 1-seeded. Stigma undivided. Fmiit
nucamentaceous or drupaceous. thin, fleshy, or none. (G. Doii.)
Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate, deciduous or evergreen ; entire,
coriaceous. ^ Flowei's terminal or axillary, showy, fragrant.—Shrubs or subshrubs
; natives of Europe, Asia, and America; propagated by seeds, layers,
or grafting. The genera are two, which are thus contradistinguished; —
D a 'p h n e L . Calyx 4-parted. Stigma capitate. Fruit pulpy.
D i ' r c a L . Calyx 4-toothed. Stigma pointed. Fruit dry.
G enus I.
DA'PHNE L . T h e D a p h n e . Lin. Syst. Octândria Monogenia.
Identification. Lin. Gen,, 192. ; Eng. Flora, 2. p. 228
^'''DMnT^ital T oum. Inst. t. 366., Gcsrtn. t. 39. ; Daphne. Fr. ; Seidelbast, Ger. ;
Derivation. Daphne is considered by some botanists to have been the Greek name of the Rúscus
racemòsus or Alexandrian laurel, into which it is fabled that Daphne was changed. “ Why the
X I’f®" applied to the shrubs now called Dáphne. it is not easy to say.” (Lindl. Bot. Reg.,
A I - p Rees s Cyclopædia, under Daúrus, that L. nóbilis “ is certainly the
Daphne CÁ Dioscorides, and consequently the classical laurel. It is still called by the same name
among the modern G r t e s ; ” this is also the popular belief. (See St. P ie rre’s E'tudes de la
Hature, Lemipriere s Ctess. Dict., &c. &c.) Supposing the Daphne to have been the Laurus
nObilis, or b y tree, It IS easy to account for its being applied to this genus, the D. Mezèreum
& “ L?eola SÆ c e S ^
Gen. Char. Calyx inferior, somewhat salver-shaped ; in most, of some other
colour than that o f the lepes, and, from its shape and colour, resembling a
corolla; segments of its limb 4, deep, ovate, or oblong, imbricate in æstivation.
Stamens 8, in two rows ; the filaments with but a short part distinct
from the tube of the calyx ; the anthers not prominent beyond it. Ovary
solitary. Style very short. Stigma capitate. Fruit an ovate carpel, pulpy
externally. Seed Ì. (Willd.) p >p u
Leaves simple, in most alternate ; if not alternate, opposite, exstipulate,
deciduous ; entire. Flowers terminal or axillary, mostly in groups, highly
fragrant.—Undershrubs, evergreen and deciduous ; natives chiefly of Europe,
but partly also of the cooler parts of Asia, including Japan and China.
The odour of some of the species is very agreeable. They are all beautiful,
and rather difficult to propagate, except by seeds, or grafting on I). Laurèola
They thrive best in heath soil.
687
A. Leaves dedduovs.
I Ü. M ezé'Reüm L.
The Mezereon Daphne, or common Mezereon.
rd\
Identfication Lin. Sp. PI., p. 509. ; Willd. Sp. PI., 2. p. 415. ; Eng. Flora. 2. p. 228
Spurge Olive, Spurge F la x ; Flowering Spurge, Parkinson-, Dwarf Bav Gera
Laureole femelle, Bois gentil, Mézéreon, Bois joli, Fr. ; gemeiner Seidelbast, or Kellerbaiz
Daphne, Dutch ; Laureola femina, Biondella, Camelia, Ital. ; Laureola hem^
Mezereon are said to be derived from madxaryon, the Persian name
Engravings. Eng. Bot., t. 1381. ; CEd. FI. Dan., t. 268. ; and our Jig. 1337.
Spec. Char., S/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
3ft. to 4ft. Flowers red; February, March, or April. Berries red; ripe
in August or September.
Vaiieties.
D. M. 2 fióre albo. — Flowers white, and fruit yellow.
J* D. M. 3 autumnàle. — 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 suflered to get dry before
the}- are sown, will remain two years in the
soil; but which, if sown in autumn immediateiy
after gathering them, generally come up the following
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 year.s form a bush 5 or 6 feet high, and 7 or 8
feet in diameter. The white variety is commonly
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.
^ 2. D, A L T A 'icA Pall. The Altaic Daphne.
Identification. Pall. Fl. Ross., I. p. 53. t. 35. ; 'Willd. Sp. PI., 2. p 422.
Synonymes. Daphne altaique. Laureole de Tartarie, Fr. ; Sibirischer Seidelbast Ger
Engravings. Pail. Fl. Ross., 1. t. 35. ; Bot. Mag., t. 1875. ; Bot. Cab., t. 399. ; and ourfig. 1338,
Spec. Char., Leaves obovate-lanceolate,
glabrous. Flowers sessile, in terminal umbels,
about 5 in an umbel. Bark reddish brown
in colour. Leaves oblong, broader towards
the upper extremity, and narrowed downwards,
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. ^
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k ; I''-
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1337. D.STezireum.