? Daphne mezereum
Daphne mezereum foliage and fruit
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Malvales Family: Thymelaeaceae Genus: Daphne
Binomial name
Daphne mezereum L.

Daphne mezereum is a species of Daphne in the flowering plant family Thymelaeaceae, native to most of Europe and western Asia, north to northern England and central Scandinavia. In southern Europe it is confined to medium to higher elevations and in the subalpine vegetation zone, but descends to near sea level in northern Europe. It is generally confined to soils derived from limestone. The common name is Mezereon. Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Divisions Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta - liverworts Anthocerotophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses Equisetophyta - horsetails Pteridophyta - true ferns Psilotophyta - whisk ferns Ophioglossophyta - adderstongues Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta - ginkgo Gnetophyta - gnetae Magnoliophyta - flowering plants Adiantum pedatum (a fern... Classes Magnoliopsida- Dicots Liliopsida- Monocots The flowering plants (also called angiosperms) are a major group of land plants. ... Orders see text Dicotyledons or dicots are flowering plants whose seed contains two embryonic leaves or cotyledons. ... Families Malvaceae (mallows,...) Dipterocarpaceae Sarcolaenaceae Cistaceae Muntingiaceae Bixaceae Diegodendraceae Cochlospermaceae Sphaerosepalaceae Thymelaeaceae Neuradaceae The Malvales are an order of flowering plants, mostly comprised of shrubs and trees. ... Genera About 50 genera, including: Dais Daphne Dirca Drapetes Edgeworthia Gonystylus Ovidia Passerina Phaleria Pimelea Stellera Struthiola Thymelaea Thymelaeaceae is a family of flowering plants, with about 700-750 species in 50 genera. ... Daphne is a genus of about 50 species of deciduous and evergreen shrubs in the plant family Thymelaeaceae, noted for their scented flowers and poisonous berries. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... Carolus Linnaeus Baba black sheep crowned patani queen Carl Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as (help· info), and in English usually under the Latinized name Carolus Linnaeus (May 23, 1707 – January 10, 1778), the name with which his publications were signed, was a Swedish botanist and physician who laid... Daphne is a genus of about 50 species of deciduous and evergreen shrubs in the plant family Thymelaeaceae, noted for their scented flowers and poisonous berries. ... Classes Magnoliopsida- Dicots Liliopsida- Monocots The flowering plants (also called angiosperms) are a major group of land plants. ... Genera About 50 genera, including: Dais Daphne Dirca Drapetes Edgeworthia Gonystylus Ovidia Passerina Phaleria Pimelea Stellera Struthiola Thymelaea Thymelaeaceae is a family of flowering plants, with about 700-750 species in 50 genera. ... World map showing Europe Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiogeographic one. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location within the British Isles Languages English (de facto) Capital London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001 Census) – Density Ranked 1st UK 50. ... For other uses, see Scandinavia (disambiguation). ... Limey shale overlaid by limestone. ...

It is a deciduous shrub growing to 1.5 m tall. The leaves are soft, 3-8 cm long and 1-2 cm broad, arranged spirally on the stems. The flowers are produced in early spring on the bare stems before the leaves appear. They have a four-lobed pink or light purple (rarely white) perianth 10-15 mm diameter, and are strongly scented. The fruit is a bright red berry 7-12 mm diameter; it is very poisonous for people, though fruit-eating birds like thrushes are immune and eat them, dispersing the seeds in their droppings. Deciduous means temporary or tending to fall off (deriving from the Latin word decidere, to fall off). ... A broom shrub in flower A shrub or bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of woody plant, distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and lower height, usually less than 6 m tall. ... In botany, a leaf is an above-ground plant organ specialized for photosynthesis. ... Clivia miniata bears bright orange flowers. ... The perianth is the outer envelope of a flower. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with List of fruits. ... Several types of berries from the market, but none of these are true berries. ... The skull and crossbones symbol traditionally used to label a poisonous substance. ... Orders Many - see section below. ... Genera 22 genera, see text The Thrushes, family Turdidae, are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly but not exclusively in the Old World. ... A seed is the ripened ovule of gymnosperm or angiosperm plants. ...

Toxicity

Daphne mezereum is very toxic because the Daphnetoxin present especially in the berries and twigs, but even the scent contains the toxin. If poisoned, victims experience a choking sensation. Handling the fresh twigs can cause rashes and eczema in sensitive individuals. Despite this, it is commonly grown as an ornamental plant in gardens for its attractive flowers. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... An ornamental is a plant variety that is grown for its beauty (in its end use), rather than commercial or other value. ...

References

• This article is based on a translation of an article from the German Wikipedia.
• Manfred A. Fischer: Exkursionsflora von Österreich, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-8001-3461-6
• Smeil, Fitschen: Flora von Deutschland, Heidelberg, Wiesbaden.

In March		White-flowered form
Fruit