EBENACE.E AQUIFOLIACE^. 449 



933. Order 118. Ebenacese, the Ebony Family. (Monopet. Hypog.) 

 Flowers hermaphrodite or unisexual. Calyx 3-7-divided, nearly 

 equal, persistent. Corolla gamopetalous, regular, deciduous, somewhat 

 coriaceous; limb with 3-7 divisions; aestivation imbricated. Stamens 

 either attached to the corolla, or hypogynous, 2 or 4 tunes as many as the 

 corolline segments, rarely equal to them in number, and then alternate 

 with them; filaments usually in two rows, the inner row having smaller 

 anthers; anthers erect, lanceolate, bilocular, with longitudinal dehis- 

 cence. Ovary free, sessile, multilocular; ovules 1-2 in each cell, pen- 

 dulous; style divided, rarely simple; stigmas bifid or simple. Fruit 

 fleshy, round or oval, the pericarp sometimes opening regularly. 

 Seeds few; testa membranous; embryo straight, nearly hi the axis of 

 cartilaginous albumen; cotyledons leafy; radicle taper, next the 

 hilum. Trees or shrubs, not lactescent, with alternate, exstipulate, 

 coriaceous leaves. They are chiefly found in tropical regions, and 

 many species are met with in India. The plants are in general 

 remarkable for the hardness and durability of their wood. Some yield 

 edible fruit. Diospyros Ebenus, and other African and Asiatic species, 

 supply Ebony, which is the black duramen of the tree. Other species 

 of Diospyros furnish Ironwood. Diospyros virginiana, the Persimmon, 

 yields a fruit (sometimes called the Date-plum) which is austere when 

 green, but becomes sweet and eatable when ripe, especially after 

 being acted on by frost. D. Kaki is the Keg-fig of Japan, the fruit 

 of which resembles a plum. Lindley notices 9 genera, including 160 

 species. Examples Diospyros, Royena, Maba. 



934. Order 119. Aqnifoliaccae (Ilicinese of some), the Holly Family. 

 (Monopet. Hypog.) Sepals 4-6 ; aestivation imbricated. Corolla mono- 

 petalous, hypogynous, 4-6-parted ; aestivation imbricate. Stamens 

 inserted into the corolla, alternate with its segments, and equal to 

 them in number; filaments straight; anthers adnate, bilocular, in- 

 trorse. Disk 0. Ovary free, fleshy, somewhat truncate, 2-6-celled ; 

 ovules solitary, anatropal, pendulous from a cup-shaped funiculus ; 

 stigma nearly sessile, lobed. Fruit fleshy, indehiscent, with 2-6 mono- 

 spermous nucules, and hence it is sometimes called a nuculanium 

 (IT 553). Seed suspended; albumen large, fleshy; embryo small, lying 

 next the hilum; cotyledons small; radicle superior. Evergreen trees 

 or shrubs, with alternate or opposite, coriaceous, simple, exstipulate 

 leaves. They are found in various parts of the world, as in Europe, 

 North and South America, and Africa. Lindley enumerates 11 genera, 

 including 110 species. Examples Ilex, Prinos. 



935. Astringent and tonic properties seem to pervade the order. 

 Ilex Aquifolium, the common Holly, is a native of Europe, and is one of 

 the indigenous plants of Britain. It forms excellent fences and hedges. 

 At Tynningham, in Scotland, there are 2952 yards of holly hedges, most 

 of them upwards of 130 years old. These hedges vary in height from 



