OLEACE^ 



99 



the top of the tree are mostly smooth and entire, 

 but the lower leaves have very jagged edges, and 

 the projecting points are armed with strong 

 prickles. (Compare Southey's poem on the Holly 

 Tree.) The tree bears clusters of small whitish 

 flowers in May, in the axils of the leaves ; some- 

 times the flowers are complete, and sometimes the 

 sexes are divided, some trees bearing only male 

 and others only female flowers. The calyx has 

 4 or 5 teeth, and there are as many alternating 

 petals and stamens. The scarlet berry is sur- 

 mounted by the teeth of the calyx, and contains 

 4 seeds. The berries remain on the tree till 

 spring. Some of the cultivated varieties have 

 white-bordered or mottled leaves. 



The leaves often exhibit whitish tortuous lines. 

 These are produced by the yellowish-white 

 mining grubs of a small black two-winged fly 

 (Phytomyza ilicis). 



Mate, or Paraguay Tea, much drunk in South 

 America, is the infusion of the leaves of a plant 

 allied to the Holly {Ilex Paraguensis). It has a 

 bitter taste, and resembles coffee in its properties. 



Order XLIX. (Oleacece 2 genera) 



The plants of this Order are trees or shrubs, 

 with opposite leaves, and the flowers in clusters, 

 with 2 stamens, and the calyx and corolla either 

 quadrifid or absent. There are 2 stamens, 

 attached to the tube of the corolla, when it exists ; 

 and the ovary and fruit are 2-celled. 



There are only two British plants belonging to 

 this Order— the Privet and the Ash; but several 

 important cultivated and foreign plants, such as the 

 Lilac, Jasmine, and Olive, likewise belong to it. 



The Privet (Ligustrum vulgare) is an evergreen 

 shrub (except in severe winters), and is much used 

 for garden hedges. It bears clusters of white 

 flowers and black berries, sometimes used to form 

 a gargle, or a wash for scurvy or soreness in the 

 mouth. On its leaves, and on those of allied trees 

 and shrubs, feeds the large green caterpillar of the 

 Privet Hawk-moth {Sphinx ligustri). It has 

 oblique white, lilac-bordered stripes on the sides, 

 and a black and yellow horn on the back. In 

 repose it holds the front of its body erect, in an 



