Prinos. LXXIX. AaUIFOLIACEiE. 381 



Order LXXIX. AQUIFOLIACE^— Hollyworts. 



Shnibs or trees, with evergreen, alternate or opposite, simple, coriaceous, exstipulate leaves. 



Fls. small, white or greenish, axillary, solitary or clustered, sometimes dicEcious. 



Cal. — Sepals 4—6, imbricate in ajstivation. 



Cor. regular, 4— 6-clefi or parted, hypogynous, imbricate in SBStivation. 



Sta. inserted into the tube of the corolla and alternate with its segments. Anth. adnata. 



Ova. free from the calyx, 2 — 6-celled, with a solitary, suspended ovule in each cell. 



fV. drupaceous, with 2 — 6 stones or nucules. Albumen large, fleshy. 



Genera U, species 110, natives of America and S. Africa, only one, Ilex (the Holly), being found in 

 Europe. 



Properties.— The bark and leaves of Prinos verticillatus (black alder) are eminently astringent and 

 tonic, as well as those of the holly. The berries are emetic and purgative. The leaves of Prinos glaber, 

 and Ilex Paraguensis are used for tea. 



Conspectus of the Genera. 



< Petals united, mostly hexamero us Prinos. 3 



< unarmed i Petals di.stinct, mostly pentamerous. NeTnopanthus.H 



Leaves ^spiaose, evergreen, coriaceous. Hex. I 



1. ILEX. 



The ancient Lat. name of the Holm Oak, the derivation uncertain. 



Calyx 4 — 5-toothed, persistent ; corolla subrotate, 4 — 5-parted ; 

 stamens 4 — 5 ; stigmas 4 — 5, subsessile, united or distinct ; berry 

 4 — 5-seeded. — Shrubs and trees. Lvs. alternate and spinose-dentate. 

 Fls. often d^ 9 % abortion. 



I. OPACA. 



Lvs. evergreen, oval, acute at end, with strong, spinous teeth, coriaceous, 

 smooth and shining; fascicles of fls. lax, peduncles compound; cal. teeth acute; 

 fr. ovate ; fls. small, greenish-white. — A tree of middle size, quite generally dif- 

 fused throughout the U. S. from Mass. ! to La. It is chiefly interesting for its 

 foliage, which is of an exceedingly rich, shining, perennial green. The flowers 

 appear in June, in scattered clusters at the base of the older branches, and the 

 fertile ones are succeeded by red berries which remain until late in autumn. 

 The wood is fine grained and compact, useful in turnery, &c. 



2. NEMO PANT H US. Raf. 



Gr. vrijia, thread, rrovs, fbot-slalk, av^os ] that is, a flower on a filiform peduncle. 



Calyx minute ; petals 5, distinct, linear, oblong ; stamens 5 ; ovary 

 hemispherical ; stigmas 3 — 4, sessile ; fruit a 3 — 4-celled, subglobose 

 berry. — Shrub, ivilh alternate^ entire^ deciduous leaves. Fls. mostly 

 dicEcio'polijgamous by abortion. 



N. Canadensis. Raf. (Ilex. Mich.v.) Canadian HoUij. 



Lvs. deciduous, oval, very entire, smooth, mucronate-pointed ; pcd. nearly 

 solitary, very long; //•. somewhat 4-sided. — A shrub, 4 — 61' high, with smooth 

 branches, growing in damp or rocky woods. Can., N. Eng. ! to Mich. Leaves 

 oval or ovate-oblong, about 2' long, on petioles i as long. The flowers, grow- 

 ing on long, slender, axillary peduncles which are .seldom divided, are small, 

 greenish-white. Segments of the corolla acute, long as the stamens. Ovary 

 of the barren flowers pointed, of the lertile with a 4-lobed stigma. Berries dry, 

 red. May, June, 



3. PRINOS. 



Gr. vpio), to saw ; aliu<ling to the scrratetl leaves. 



Flowers often J" 9 or d" s? 9 ; calyx mostly 6-cleft ; cor. 6-parted ; 

 sta. 4 — 6 ; berry roundi.sh, much longer than the calyx ; seeds bony, 

 convex on one side, angular on (lie other. — Shrubs. Lvs. alternate. 

 Pedicels axillary, \-Jlu acred. 



1. P. VKRTi(-iLLATi;.s. (P. Gfonovii. Alichx.) Winter Ba^nj. Black Alder. 



Lvs. deciduous, oval, serrate, acuminate, pubescent beneath; Jls. axillary, 

 the fertile ones aggregate, the barren subumbcllate. — This shrub is lound in 

 moist woods or swamps. Can. and most of the States, u'^ually growing about 



