five purple external stripes, and a violet eye, beautifully con- 

 trasted with the yellow anthers. The purple hairy stigmas, 

 too, are remarkable; as well as the bladdery hisped inner ca- 

 lyx. It has a double calyx the outer .permanent, inner of 

 one leaf, cup-shaped, five cleft half way down, permanent. 

 Petals five, narrow at the base, spreading. Leaves in three 

 deep divisions, cut, somewhat pinnatifid. 



There is a plant of mildest hue, 

 Whose modest visage charms the eye, 

 Which blooms as fair as tho' it grew 

 Beneath a purer, holier sky. 



As mellow as the Moon's soft beam 

 On ocean's mirror'd breast arrayed, 

 Swifter it passes than a dream, 

 And blossoms only but to fade. 



Thus Beauty lights the Maiden's face, 



With all her mildest chastest rays, 



When searing age comes on apace, 



And leaves no mark of former days. S * * n. 



HOLLY. 



Ilex. 



Ilex appears to be an original Latin word. Johnson 

 derives the name Holly from Holegn, Saxon, for a Tree. 

 Webster from Holegn, (Saxon,) the Holm tree, of the genus 

 Ilex. Ainsworth defines Ilex to be "a kind of oak tree, 

 called by some Holm: the Scarlet Oak, the Holm Oak." 



Skinner suggests that the Saxon for Holly, Holegn, is 

 compounded of Hoi, all; and Ergc, sharp point, because it 

 is all sharpened, or pointed with thorns. 



The Ilex of the Latin has become, in the Italian, Elice. 

 See Baretti's Dictionary. 



The Holly is a beautiful evergreen tree, several species 

 of which are abundant in North America. It also grows in 

 many parts of Europe, Japan, &c. There is one species, na- 

 tive of West Florida, called South Sea Tea, the Ilex Vomi- 

 toria, held in great estimation by the Indians, who make a 

 tea of the leaves, and account it very wholesome: and it is 

 almost the only physic they use in those parts. The plant is 

 supposed to be the same with that of Paraguay, where the 

 Jesuits make a great revenue from the leaves. 



The Holly is a tree of singular beauty, sometimes rising 

 to the height of twenty or thirty feet, with shining prickly 

 leaves and white flowers, which grow in clusters round the 

 branches, and are succeeded by berries of a bright scarlet 

 colour, containing four very hard seeds. The leaves form a 

 grateful food to many animals: but Nature has armed them 

 for self-defence against these depredators, in their sharp 

 prickles. And it is curious to observe, that the thorny leaves 

 only grow on the lower part of the tree, where they are most 

 liable to be destroyed; and that those above, out of the reach 

 of horses and cattle, have smooth leaves, as if conscious that 

 there they might repose in safety. 



Four of the giant brood with Hex stand, 

 Each grasps a thousand arrows in his hand; 



A thousand steely points on every scale, 

 Form the bright terrors of his bristly mail. 



Darwin. 



The bark of the common Holly, I. aquifolium, when 

 fermented and then washed from the woody fibres, constitutes 

 the common bird lime, a material somewhat similar to the 

 elastic gum, or Indian rubber. 



HOLLYHOCK, or ROSE-MALLOW. 

 Jllcca rosea. 



Jllcea, from the Greek Axxn, strength, aid, on account 

 of its reputed medicinal properties, for which it was formerly 

 held in great esteem. 



Ainsworth defines Jllcea, a kind of wild Mallow ; marsh 

 mallow. 



Hollyhock, its derivation may be traced to the Saxon 

 language; the old name of Holy oak, being the same as Holi- 

 Jiec, Saxon. 



The Hollyhock is a native of China, Africa, Madras, 

 Istira, Siberia, &c. Pliny speaks of this flower in the fourth 

 chapter of his twenty-first book, where he describes it as a 

 rose growing on stalks, like a mallow. The colour of the 

 flowers is accidental, and the double flowers are only varieties 

 proceeding from culture. It is an autumnal flower of which 

 the Bees are fond. 



From the nectaries of Hollyhocks 

 The humble Bee, e'en till he faints, will sip. 



H. Smith. 



The flowers of this genus have a double Calyx, each one- 

 leafed, the outer, cut half way into six parts, permanent, and 

 very spreading; the inner, cut half way into five parts, larger, 

 and permanent. The Corolla consists of five spreading pe- 

 tals, coalescing at their base. This description is of the 

 single flowered. Seed flat, kidney-shaped. 



HONESTY, or SATIN FLOWER. 



Lunaria. 



Lunaria, from Luna, the Moon, so named on account 

 of the broad orbicular shape of its sUique, and its silvery semi- 

 transparent nature, which discovers those seed-vessels that 

 contain seed, from such as have none; from which last, it de- 

 rives its English name of Honesty. 



Ainsworth defines Lunaria to be Moon- Wort, a kind 

 of herb used by old women for love-potions. 



It was in high repute among the credulous of former 

 ages, as a bewitching, or enchanting herb. And we learn 

 from Chaucer that Lunaria was one of the plants used ID 

 incantations. 



Then sprinkles she the juice of rue 



With nine drops of the midnight dew, 



From Lunary distilling. Draytorfs Jfymphia. 



Enchanting Lunary here lies, 



In sorceries excelling. Drayton. 



This genus of plants is herbaceous, annual, biennial, 



