Spurge-laurel
General poisoning notes:
Spurge-laurel (Daphne laureola) is an ornamental shrub that is poisonous to animals that ingest it. The Daphne species listed in this information system cause few cases of poisoning, but children or family pets can be affected. See additional information under general notes of Daphnemezereum.
Description
The spurge laurel (Daphne laureola) is an up to 1 meter tall bush with a handful of leaves on top of the straight, thin, almost not branched stems. The leaves are hard and perennial, obovate –so, larger in the opposite to the petiole half- 6-12 x 2-3 cm size, cuneate towards the petiole, with entire margin and shiny top face. The species is named spurge laurel because these leaves. The naked stem displays marks of the fallen leaves. The spurge laurel starts blossom at the end of winter. The flowers born in bunches at the axile of the leaves. They've just one perianth as a yellow greenish tube that ends in 4 pieces. The fruit is a black, toxic berry. The spurge laurel can live in the shadow, so it's found in oakwoods.
Daphne laureola L.
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Daphne laureola L.
Vernacular name(s): spurge-laurel
Scientific family name: Thymelaeaceae
Vernacular family name: mezereum
Geographic Information
Plant or plant parts used in or around the home.
Toxic parts:
All parts, bark, flowers, leaves, mature fruit.
Toxic plant chemicals:
Daphnetoxin,dihydroxycoumarin, mezerein.
Daphnetoxin
Animals/Human Poisoning:
Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.
Cats
Dogs
Humans
General symptoms of poisoning:
abdominal pains
diarrhea
dysphagia
mouth, irritation of
salivation
thirsty.
