442 



ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE NATURAL ORDERS. 



858. Ord. AqilifoliacetE {Holly Family). Trees or shrubs, com- 

 monly with coriaceous leaves, and small axillary polygamous flowers. 

 Calyx of four to six sepals. Corolla four- to six-parted or cleft : 

 the stamens as many as its segments and alternate with them, in- 

 serted on the base of the corolla. Anthers opening longitudinally. 

 Ovary two- to six-celled ; the cells with a single suspended ovule. 

 Fruit drupaceous, with two to six nutlets. Embryo minute, in hard 

 albumen. — Fx. Ilex, the Holly, &c. The bark and leaves contain 

 a tonic, bitter, extractive matter. The leaves of a species of Ilex 

 are used for tea in Paraguay : and the famous black drink of the 

 Creek Indians is prepared from the leaves of Ilex vomitoria (Cas- 

 sena) ; which are still used as a substitute for tea in some parts of 

 the Southern States, 



859. Ol'd. Ebenacete (Ebony Family). Trees or shrubs, destitute 

 of milky juice, with alternate, mostly entire leaves, and polygamous 

 flowers. Calyx three- to six-cleft, free from the ovary. Corolla 

 three- to six-cleft, often pubescent. Stamens twice to four times as 

 many as the lobes of the corolla, inserted on them. Ovary three- to 

 several-celled ; the style with as many divisions. Fruit a kind of 

 berry, with large and bony seeds. Embryo shorter than the hard 



934 



93S 



933 



933 



937 



albumen. — Fx. Diospyros, the Persimmon. The fruit, which is 

 extremely austere and astringent when green, becomes sweet and 

 eatable when fully ripe. The bark is powerfully astringent. Fb- 

 ony is the wood of Diospyros Ebenus and other African and Asiatic 

 species. 



860. Ol'd. StyracaceiB {Storax Family). Shrubs or trees, with per- 



FIG. 933. Perfect flower of Diospyros Virginiana, the Persimmon. 934. The corolla, laid 

 open, and stamens. 935. The fruit. 936 Section through the fruit and bony seeds, 937. 

 Vertical section of a seed. 938. The detached embryo. 



