Daphne sericea

Appearance

''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. Forms from southern Italy have been called ''Daphne collina'', ''Daphne sericea'' 'Collina' and ''Daphne sericea'' Collina Group. They are more compact than forms from other parts of the species' range, but otherwise similar.

Naming

Three subspecies are recognized:
⤷ ''Daphne sericea'' subsp. ''sericea'' – includes ''D. sericea'' 'Collina'; up to 1 m tall; found around the Mediterranean
⤷ ''Daphne sericea'' subsp. ''circassica'' Halda – shorter, with a longer flower tube; from the west Caucasus
⤷ ''Daphne sericea'' subsp. ''pseudosericea'' Halda – similar to subsp. ''circassica'', but with larger flowers and less visible anthers; from the west Transcaucasus

Distribution

''Daphne sericea'' is found in southern Italy, Sicily, Crete, Syria and the Caucasus.

Habitat

It typically grows on rocky slopes and in open pinewoods, at elevations up to 1800 m.