DAPHIIE, a genus of plants of the natural order thymeleacece, having a 4-cleft, funnel shaped perianth, the throtit of which is destitute of scales, eight stamens, and a one seeded succulent fruit. All the species are shrubs or small trees, sonic having decidu ous, and some having, evergreen leaves, all of them possessing in all their parts a more or less considerable acridity, which in some is so great, that they are even caustic; and the berries are poisonous, whilst, however, the flowers of some are deliciously fragrant. To this genus belongs the DA1nNE well known both for the fragrance of its flowers and for its medicinal uses, naturalized in seine places of England. The GAnou bush (D. gaidiam), a native of the s. of Europe, less hardy than the theze reon, has the same medicinal properties and uses. which is also in sonic measure the case with many other species. The only species certainly a native of Britain is the SPURGE LACREL (D. laureola), an evergreen shrub. 3 ft. high, with obovate-lanceo late leaves, which grow in tufts at the end of the branches, and give it a remarkable appearance. It grows well tinder the shade of trees. It is naturalized, rather than a native of Scotland.—D. Japnidett, a species recently introduced from Japan, has exquis
itely lemon-scented leaves. From the bark of some species of D., and of the most nearly allied genera. paper is made in different parts of the east, particularly Ni-paul paper from that of D. eannabina. Slips of the inner bark are boiled in a lye of wood ashes for half an hour till quite soft, are then reduced to a homogeneous pulp by beat ing with a wooden mallet in a mortar, churned with water into a thin paste, and poured through a coarse sieve upon a cloth stretched on a frame. The paper is subsequently polished by friction, with a shell or a piece of hard wood, and is remarkable for its toughness, smoothness, and durability. Most of the paper used in Thibet is made from the bark of different species of D. and allied genera, particularly of Edgeworthia gard neri, a beautiful shrub, with globes of waxy, cowslip-colored, deliciously fragrant flowers, on the Himalaya, at an elevation of 6,000 to 7,000 feet. The bark of dais ..ifadagasearzensis is also made into paper in Madagascar, and that of gnidia daph noides into ropes.