HOLL Y 159 



prickles to be the same." The difference in form between 

 divers leaves on the same holly-tree, though striking, is 

 really not so great as between the acutely-pointed five- or 

 seven-lobed leaves of the ivy when it is climbing, and the 

 simple ovate form of foliage that crowns the plant when it 

 has attained to the height of its ambition, and its climbing 

 days are over. Holly-leaves are very stout and rigid, of 

 a deep dark green above, and lighter beneath, of a par- 

 ticularly glossy surface, and of a very waved outline. 



Holly-leaves contain an active principle termed Ilicine, 

 that was once held to be of great remedial efficacy, but 

 in later works on Materia Medica no mention is made 

 of it. It was for some little time strongly commended, 

 especially in the treatment of fevers, and as a tonic, but 

 divers reasons, commercial and medical, led to its gradual 

 disuse. 



The flowers of the holly are found in May, and June. 

 They are small in size, white in colour, rather waxy in 

 texture and effect, clustering many together in the axils of 

 the leaves, and very popular with the bees. The corolla 

 is ordinarily four-cleft, but sometimes has five segments, 

 and the somewhat conspicuous stamens then follow suit, 

 being either four or five in number. 



The berries are globular, and, to quote Gerard, " of 

 the bignesse of a little Pease, or not much greater," but 

 to be on the safe side we will say as large as a big Pease, 

 very smooth and shining, and, normally, of a rich scarlet 

 colour, though one may find them, under cultivation, 

 yellow, orange, or white ; none of these, we venture to 

 think, being at all so charming as the brilliant scarlet. 

 On opening a berry we find four hard nuts neatly packed 



