Fig. 483.—Daphne mezereum: A flower; B longitudinal section of pistil.
Daphne (Spurge-Laurel, Fig. [483]) has a deciduous receptacle, often coloured; sepals 4; petals absent; stamens 4 + 4. Berry.—Gnidia (corolla); Pimelea (2 stamens); Thymelæa; Passerina and others.
400 species; chiefly in the warm, sub-tropical zone, especially the Cape and Australia. Only Daphne and Thymelæa in Europe. In the fruit and bark of some, for example Daphne, pungent, burning and poisonous properties are found. The bark of D. mezereum (native and cultivated) and D. laureola is officinal. A specially tough bast is found in some species, for example Lagetta lintearia (Lace-tree, Jamaica), which is used in weaving. Some are cultivated in gardens as ornamental shrubs, especially species of Daphne.
Order 2. Elæagnaceæ. Shrubs or trees, which are easily recognised by the covering of peltate hairs found upon almost all parts of the plant, causing them to assume a silvery or rusty-brown appearance. Stipules are absent; the leaves are simple, most frequently scattered. Flowers (Figs. [484], [485]) frequently unisexual. The sepals are valvate, 2-4; the corolla is wanting; stamens 4 + 4 or 0 + 4. The ovule is erect and the radicle turned downwards (Fig. [486]). The fruit is a nut, but becomes a false fruit, being surrounded by the persistent receptacle or the lower part of it, and thus assuming a berry- or drupe-like appearance (Fig. [486]). Endosperm insignificant.—Shepherdia (opposite leaves) has 4 sepals, 4+4 stamens, as in Daphne. Diœcious.—Elæagnus (Silver-leaf) is ☿, has 4–6 sepals, and 4–6 stamens alternating with them. Hippophaë is diœcious; it has 2 sepals and 4 stamens in the ♂-flower (perhaps properly speaking 2+2 stamens); thorny (stem-structures).
16 species; especially ornamental shrubs, e.g. Elæagnus argentea, angustifolia; Hippophaë rhamnoides and Shepherdia canadensis. Northern Temp.
Figs. 484–486.—Elæagnus angustifolia.
Fig. 484.—Floral diagram.
Fig. 485.—Longitudinal section through the flower.