Mezereon

(Daphne mezereum L., Thymelaeaceae)

Also Called: Spurge Olive.

Description: Deciduous shrub 50-300cm (1-75 12ft) high, bearing leaves only at the apices of the branches.
Leaves oval of lanceolate, up to 8cm (3i n) long and 2cm (0 8in) broad, entire.
Flowers appearing shortly before the leaves, very shortly stalked or sessile, in groups of 2-4, covering, the branches.
They are reddish-pink with a tubular, funnel-shaped receptacle 5-10mm (0-2-0.41n) long and 4 spreading sepals; petals are absent; odour is strong and agreeable.
Fruit, a red berry.
Flowering: February-March.

Part Used: Bark, either dried or fresh.

Habitat and Collection: In moist soils in woods, thickets and ravines, chiefly in hilly districts, spread over Europe.
Native in England on calcareous soils but very local and rare.
The bark is collected in March-April and dried in the shade.

Constituents and Action: A caustic resin. -
A brief application to the skin or to the mucosa causes a marked local afflux of blood.
Prolonged application to the skin produces blisters and more continued application results in lesions of the subcutaneous tissues.
Internally, serious lesions of the digestive tract may be produced.
The berries are also poisonous, 10-15 may prove fatal.

Usage:
Even externally the fresh bark or the moistened dried bark must only be used with great care as an application to warts.
It is rarely used as a local application for the relief of pain.

CAUTION: The plant is violent in action and must never be taken internally by the layman.

Note: Mezereon Bark of the British Pharmaceutical Codex 1934 was obtained from D. mezereum L., D. laureola L. and D. gnidium L.
The Spurge Laurel .(D. laureola L.) is indigenous to Britain; it is a small evergreen shrub with green flowers and black berries; its constituents and actions are similar to D. rezereum