About Daphne sericea Vahl
Daphne sericea Vahl is usually a shrub that grows 30 to 40 cm tall, though it may occasionally reach greater heights. Its leaves are 2 to 4 cm long. This species produces clusters of 5 to 15 fragrant purple flowers from late spring to early summer; each individual flower measures around 8 mm long. After fertilization, flowers develop into fleshy fruits that range in colour from orange-red to orange-brown. Populations from southern Italy have been classified under multiple names: Daphne collina, Daphne sericea 'Collina', and Daphne sericea Collina Group. These southern Italian forms are more compact than other populations of the species, but are otherwise similar in appearance. Daphne sericea is distributed across southern Italy, Sicily, Crete, Syria, and the Caucasus. It most commonly grows on rocky slopes and in open pinewoods, at elevations up to 1800 m.
