Me·ze·re·on n. Bot. A small European shrub (Daphne Mezereum), whose acrid bark is used in medicine.
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Um·bel·lif·er·one n. Chem. A tasteless white crystalline substance, C9H6O3, found in the bark of a certain plant (Daphne Mezereum), and also obtained by the distillation of certain gums from the Umbelliferae, as galbanum, asafetida, etc. It is analogous to coumarin. Called also hydroxy-coumarin. Its strong fluorescence under ultraviolet light makes it useful in analytical biochemistry, as, for example, to detect phosphatase activity by hydrolysis of umbelliferyl phosphate.
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Daph·nin n. Chem. (a) A dark green bitter resin extracted from the mezereon (Daphne mezereum) and regarded as the essential principle of the plant. [R.] (b) A white, crystalline, bitter substance, regarded as a glucoside, and extracted from Daphne mezereum and Daphne alpina.
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Daphne mezereum
n : small European deciduous shrub with fragrant lilac-colored
flowers followed by red berries on highly toxic twigs
[syn: mezereon, February daphne]