496 Order U.— AQUIFOLIACE^E. 



3i. PTEROS'PORA, Nutt. Albany Beech-drops. — (Gr. nrspov, a 



wins;, orropd. a seed; alluding to the winged seeds.) Calyx 5-parted; 



corolla nrceolate, roundish-ovoid, the limb 5-toothed and rcflcxed; 



stamens 10, anthers peltate, 2-celled, 2-awned, opening lengthwise; 



capsule 5-cclled, 5-valved ; seeds very numerous, minute, winged at the 



apex. — If. Plant leafless, brownish-red. Fls. racemed, white, resembling 



those of Andromeda. 



P. andromedea Nutt. In various parts of N. T. and Vt., rare. First discovered 

 by Dr. T). S. C. H. Smith, near Niagara Falls, 181G. Scape 12 to 30' high, dark 

 purple, clothed with short, viscid wool. llac. 6 to 12' long, with 50 or more 

 nodding fls. Pedicels irregularly scattered. 6 to 8" long, axillary to long, linear 

 bracts. Cor. shorter than tho pedicels, somewhat campanulate, open at the throat. 

 Jl. (Monotropa procera Fa.) 



Order LXXIV. AQUIFOLIACE^E. IIollyworts. 



Shrubs or trees, with evergreen, altcrnato or opposite, simple, coriaceous, cxstipr> 

 lato leaves. Flowers small, axillary, sometimes dioecious. Sejiab i to 6, imbricate 

 in bud, very minute. Cor. regular, 4 — G-cleft or parted, hypogynous, imbricate ic 

 Estivation. Sta. inserted into tho very short tubo of tho corolia and alternate with 

 its segments. Anth. adnata Ova. free from the calyx, 2 — 6-celled, witli a solitary. 

 suspended ovulo in each cell. Fr. drupaceous, with 2 — G stones or nucules. Albu- 

 men large, fleshy. 



Genera 11, species 110, natives of America and S. Africa, only one, Ilex the Holly. Ilex aqui- 

 (btium, which gives name to tho Order, being found in Europe. 



Properties.— The bark and leaves of I'rinos verticiliatus (black alder) aro eminently astringent 

 and tonic, as well as those of the Holly. The berries are emetic and purgative. The leaves of 

 I'rinos glaber, and Ilex Paraguensis are used for tea, tho latter well known as the Mate or Para- 

 guay Tea. 



The idea of uniting tho two genera Ilex and Prinos was advanced by Dr. Win. Baldwin, in 

 1316 (" Reliquiae," p. 841) in consequence of discovering some of the deciduous species of ilex 

 Which he at first mistook for Prinos. The suggestion has since been repeated by several authors, 

 and at length Prof. Gray (Manual, p. 263) includes both under one name (Ilex). Tho two groups, 

 however, seem to us quite as distinct as GayliiHsacia and Vaccinium ; and moreover, Nerno- 

 panthesis intermediate. 



GENERA. 



§ Habitually tetramerous. Drupe- with 4, bony, sulcato nutlets Ilex. 1 



§ Habitually tetramerous. Drupe with 4, horny, smooth nutlets Nemopantiiks. i. 



§ Habitually hexauicrous. Berry with 6 (7, S) smooth, cartilaginous seeds Pkinos. a 



i. ILEX, L. Holly. (The ancient name of the Holm Oat, the 

 derivation uncertain.) Fls. 4 (rarely 5)-parted, mostly perfect but many 

 abortive; calyx 4-toothcd, persistent; corolla of 4 obtuse petals distinct 

 or scarcely united at base; stamens 4 ; stigmas 4, or united into one; 

 drupe red, with 4 bony nutlets, ribbed and furrowed on the convex 

 back. — Lvs. alternate. Fls. small, white, lateral, single or clustered. 



§ Trees evergreen — the leaves armed with spinous teeth No. 1 



§ Shrubs evergreen — the leaves unarmed, serrate or entire Nos. 2 — * 



J Shrubs deciduous, the leaves thin, serrate or entire Nos. — 7 



1 I. opaca L. American Holly. Arborescent; lvs. oval, acute, with strong, 

 spinous teeth, coriaceous smooth, and shining, fascicles lax, peduncles compound; 

 cal. teeth acute ; drupe ovate, nutlets 5-ribbed on tho back. — A tree of middlo 

 size, quite generally diffused throughout tho U. S., from Mass. to Ga. and La. 

 It is chiefly interesting for its foliage, which is of an exceedingly rich, shining, 

 perennial green. Fls. in scattered clusters at tho base of tho new branehlets, 

 and the fertile ones aro succeeded by red berries, which remain until late in 

 Autumn. Jn. 



/?. Lvs. mostly entire, a few of them with a singlo spinous tooth towards th* 

 apex. — Macon, Ga., &c. Lvs. exactly oval, very different from I. Dahoon. 



