It's an evergreen, shade loving, about 1-2' high with smooth greyish bark.
Forms clusters of tiny green flowers in spring that fruit into
purplish-black berries with a single large seed. Fruit is palatable, and
not immediately fatal in very small amounts (yes, okay, stupid... but my Dad
tried them first).

http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant2.png
http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant1.png
http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant3.png

hello, I think it's Cherry Laurel

"jml" wrote in message
...
It's an evergreen, shade loving, about 1-2' high with smooth greyish bark.
Forms clusters of tiny green flowers in spring that fruit into
purplish-black berries with a single large seed. Fruit is palatable, and
not immediately fatal in very small amounts (yes, okay, stupid... but my
Dad
tried them first).

http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant2.png
http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant1.png
http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant3.png

hello, I think it's Cherry Laurel

"jml" wrote in message
...
It's an evergreen, shade loving, about 1-2' high with smooth greyish bark.
Forms clusters of tiny green flowers in spring that fruit into
purplish-black berries with a single large seed. Fruit is palatable, and
not immediately fatal in very small amounts (yes, okay, stupid... but my
Dad
tried them first).

http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant2.png
http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant1.png
http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant3.png

----- Original Message -----
From: "D. Kauhl"
Newsgroups: sci.bio.botany
Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2003 10:49 PM
Subject: What plant is this?


hello, I think it's Cherry Laurel

"jml" wrote in message
...
It's an evergreen, shade loving, about 1-2' high with smooth greyish
bark.
Forms clusters of tiny green flowers in spring that fruit into
purplish-black berries with a single large seed. Fruit is palatable,
and
not immediately fatal in very small amounts (yes, okay, stupid... but my
Dad
tried them first).

http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant2.png
http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant1.png
http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant3.png

For me it looks like Daphne laureola, I used to see in wold french wood,
especially, with calcareous soil.

the link belows, says a curious chemical is released when cut!!
http://www.uwc.ca/pearson/ecology/re...rodspecies.htm

JLP

----- Original Message -----
From: "D. Kauhl"
Newsgroups: sci.bio.botany
Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2003 10:49 PM
Subject: What plant is this?


hello, I think it's Cherry Laurel

"jml" wrote in message
...
It's an evergreen, shade loving, about 1-2' high with smooth greyish
bark.
Forms clusters of tiny green flowers in spring that fruit into
purplish-black berries with a single large seed. Fruit is palatable,
and
not immediately fatal in very small amounts (yes, okay, stupid... but my
Dad
tried them first).

http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant2.png
http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant1.png
http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant3.png

For me it looks like Daphne laureola, I used to see in wold french wood,
especially, with calcareous soil.

the link belows, says a curious chemical is released when cut!!
http://www.uwc.ca/pearson/ecology/re...rodspecies.htm

JLP

----- Original Message -----
From: "D. Kauhl"
Newsgroups: sci.bio.botany
Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2003 10:49 PM
Subject: What plant is this?


hello, I think it's Cherry Laurel

"jml" wrote in message
...
It's an evergreen, shade loving, about 1-2' high with smooth greyish
bark.
Forms clusters of tiny green flowers in spring that fruit into
purplish-black berries with a single large seed. Fruit is palatable,
and
not immediately fatal in very small amounts (yes, okay, stupid... but my
Dad
tried them first).

http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant2.png
http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant1.png
http://www.blarg.net/~jlowery/PIX/Plant3.png

For me it looks like Daphne laureola, I used to see in wold french wood,
especially, with calcareous soil.

the link belows, says a curious chemical is released when cut!!
http://www.uwc.ca/pearson/ecology/re...rodspecies.htm

JLP

"D. Kauhl" writes:

hello, I think it's Cherry Laurel

I think not. The leaves are radial, not alternate, and I couldn't detect any
almond or black cherry smell from crushing the leaves. The tiny green
flowerlets are bunched in close to each branch and under the crown.
Certainly not a tree, either. Lot of bare bark between leaves and base,
though.

Does seem laurel-like to me, but the radial leaves are unlike any laurel
I've been able to see pictures of.

For me it looks like Daphne laureola, I used to see in wold french wood,
especially, with calcareous soil.

Ah, yes... that looks more like it!


the link belows, says a curious chemical is released when cut!!
http://www.uwc.ca/pearson/ecology/re...rodspecies.htm

Yeah, I think that's my next experiment!

Hmm, looks like most references note the berries to be deadly poisonous.
However, the one I tasted wasn't acrid tasting, like one reference stated.
Didn't notice any burning sensation, either. Still, I don't think I'll be
trying any more.