Family:

Thymelaeaceae

Habitat:

Ruderal grassland, evergreen maquis, garrigue in open woodland, on rocks and in shrub communities such as maquis

Growth habit:

vwoody shrub, upright growing

Plant size:

bup to 2 m high

Flower colour:

creme-coloured

Flowering time

May - October

Leaf characteristics:

linear to narrowly lanceolate, stalkless, leathery, alternate, pointed, finely glandular or glabrous underneath, blue-green in colour, 3 - 8 mm wide, 2 - 5 cm long

Flower characteristics:

Flowers in small, terminal panicles, without petals, calyx and calyx hairy

Fruit:

Drupe, fleshy on the outside, red to later blackish in colour, ovoid, 7 - 8 mm wide, single-seeded

Special features:

The autumn daphne is branched and evergreen. Its branches are thin, densely and evenly leafed in the upper part and brown in colour. It is particularly common in the western Mediterranean and its flowers are fragrant. As with all Daphne species, all parts, but especially the bark and seeds, contain poisonous substances. Blistering ulcers can develop when freshly cut branches are touched.