Daphne sericea

Daphne sericea is a shrubby species of flowering plant in the genus Daphne with purple flowers. It was described by Martin Vahl.[1] Daphne collina has been treated as a separate species, but is considered to be a cultivar or group of cultivars of D. sericea.

Daphne sericea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Thymelaeaceae
Genus: Daphne
Species:
D. sericea
Binomial name
Daphne sericea
Synonyms[1]
  • Daphne aurea Poir.
  • Daphne australis Cirillo
  • Daphne blagayana Meisn.
  • Daphne buxifolia Ledeb.
  • Daphne collina Sm. ex Dicks. or Dicks. ex Sm.
  • Daphne elisae Vis.
  • Daphne oleifolia Lam.
  • Daphne vahlii Keissl.

Description

Daphne sericea usually grows as a shrub to a height of 30 to 40 cm, but can sometimes grow taller. Its leaves are 2 to 4 cm in length. Fragrant purple flowers are produced in late spring to early summer in clusters of 5 to 15. Each flower is around 8 mm long. Fertilized flowers produce fleshy fruits, orange-red to orange-brown in colour.[2] Forms from southern Italy have been called Daphne collina,[2] Daphne sericea 'Collina'[3] and Daphne sericea Collina Group.[4] They are more compact than forms from other parts of the species' range, but otherwise similar.[2]

Distribution and habitat

Daphne sericea is found in southern Italy, Sicily, Crete, Syria and the Caucasus. It typically grows on rocky slopes and in open pinewoods, at elevations up to 1800 m.[2]

Subspecies

Three subspecies are recognized:[1][3]

  • Daphne sericea subsp. sericea – includes D. sericea 'Collina'; up to 1 m tall; found around the Mediterranean
  • Daphne sericea subsp. circassica (Woronow ex Pobed.) Halda – shorter, with a longer flower tube; from the west Caucasus
  • Daphne sericea subsp. pseudosericea (Pobed.) Halda – similar to subsp. circassica, but with larger flowers and less visible anthers; from the west Transcaucasus

References
  1. "Daphne sericea". The Plant List. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  2. Beckett, K., ed. (1993). "Daphne". Encyclopaedia of Alpines : Volume 1 (A–K). Pershore, UK: AGS Publications. pp. 371–376. ISBN 978-0-900048-61-6. See Daphne collina and Daphne sericea.
  3. "Daphne sericea/'Collina'". Daphne – Seidelbast. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  4. "Daphne sericea Collina Group". Plants. Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
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