AQUIFOLIACEiE. 



Nat. syst. ed. 2. p. 228. 



ILEX, 



Calyx inferior, small, with 4 small teeth, permanent. Corolla 

 wheel-shaped, in 4 deep, elliptical, spreading, concave, segments ; 

 or of 4 petals, cohering by their broad bases ; much larger than 

 the calyx. Filaments awl-shaped, shorter than the corolla, and 

 alternate with its divisions. Anthers small, 2-lobed. Ovary 

 roundish. Styles none. Stigmas 4, obtuse, permanent. Berry 

 globular, of 4 cells. Seeds solitary in each cell, oblong, pointed, 

 angular at the inside, rounded externally. Smith. 



801. I. Aquifolium Linn. sp. 181. Eng. Bot. t. 496. Eng. 

 Fl. i. 227. — Hedges and thickets in dry sandy places. (Holly.) 



A handsome evergreen tree, of slow growth, with a smooth grey 

 bark, which, abounding with mucilage, makes bird-lime, by maceration 

 in water. The wood is hard and close-grained. Leaves alternate, 

 stalked, rigid, shining, wavy, with spinous divaricated lobes; the upper 

 ones on old trees entire, with only a terminal prickle. Flowers copious, 

 white, tinged externally with purple ; the earlier ones least perfect. 

 Berries scarlet; casually yellow. — Dr. Rouseau asserts that the leaves 

 are equal to Peruvian Bark in the cure of intermittent fever. The 

 root and bark are said to be emollient, resolving, expectorant and 

 diuretic. Haller recommends the juice of the leaves in icterus. Red 

 also affirms that he has employed the bark successfully in cases of 

 epidemic intermittent fever when Peruvian Bark had failed. Trans, of 

 Med. Bot. soc. 1834, p. 4. 



802. I. vomitoria Linn. sp. pi. 709. R. and S. iii. 491. — ■ 

 Cassine Peragua Mill. diet. t. 83. f. 2. Ilex ligustrina Jacq. ic. 

 rar. ii. t. 310. Ilex Cassena Elliot, ii. 681. (Pluk. t. 376. f.2.) 

 ~- Florida and Carolina near the sea. 



A shrub 6-15 feet high, stoloniferous ; branches virgate, erect, the 

 smaller expanding ; bark smooth, when very young pubescent. Leaves 

 alternate, perennial, glabrous, shining, coriaceous. Flowers in axillary 

 clusters ; each peduncle 3-flowered. Peduncles short, slightly downy. 

 Teeth of the calyx very minute. Segments of the corolla obtuse. Fila- 

 ments shorter than the corolla. Berry globose, scarlet, 4-celled. — A 

 strong decoction of this plant called black drink is used by the tribes of 

 the Creek Indians at the opening of their councils. It acts as a mild 

 emetic. 



393 



