CONTIN 



ONE HUNDR 



ECTED ARTICLES 



OPACA. 



English Name^ American Holly. French Name^ Houx. 



Classification^ Nat. Order of Rliamnides. Tetran- 

 dria tetragynia of Linnaeus. 



Genus Ilex. Calix minute, 4 or 5 toothed, corolla rotate 

 4 or 5 parted. One ovary, 4 sestile stigmas, 4 or 5 sta- 

 mina, opposed to the corolla. Berry one celled, four seed- 

 ed. Shrubs or trees, leaves alternate. 



Sp- Ilex opaca. Leaves oval lanceolate, acute at both 

 ends, evergreen, shining, spinose-dentate j fascicles of 

 flowers loose on the young branches, peduncles com- 

 pound. 



DESCRIPTION. Atree from 10 to 40 feet high, small 

 in the North, larger in the South: with handsome ever- 

 green leaves, forming a compact foliage with spinose 

 teeth, on short petioles, oval or oval -lanceolate, both 

 ends sharp, texture firm. The flowers are small yellow- 

 ish white, in small fascides on the small branches. The 

 berries are scarlet, round and handsome. 



HISTORY. The Genus Ilex of Linnaeus contains 

 many heterogeneous species, some are polygamous or 

 dioical, have 1, 2 or 4 stigmas, a cell or 4 cells in the 

 berry, a corolla or none, &c. It requires to be re- 

 modelled. As early as 1817 I separated the Ilex Cana- 

 densis^ calling it Nemopanthus^ wnich has dioical flow- 

 ers, calix 5 leaved, 5 stamina, alternate, no corolla, one 

 stigma capitate, 4 lobed, berry 4 celled 4 seeded, &c. 

 The Ilex ohcordata has a single entire stigma- The 



