

VII 



I. AQUIFOLIUM 

 History, Description, etc. 



is undoubtedly the oldest, best 

 known and most useful of all the 

 species of Ilex. From old writers 

 we learn that it was a favourite tree 

 and largely used in connection with various 

 festivals in the time of the Romans, whilst 

 mention is made of it in the writings of our 

 earliest horticulturists. 



Previous to Linnczus adopting the name of 

 Ilex for the genus, this plant was called both 

 Agrifolium and Aquifolium, the latter name 

 being eventually accepted by Linnceus to dis- 

 tinguish the species. London says in his 

 Arboretnm et Fruticetum Britannicnm, that 

 " Theophrastus and other Greek authors named 

 the Holly Agria ; that is, wild or of the fields ; 

 and the Romans formed from this the word 

 Agrifolium ; and called it also Aquifolium, from 

 acutum, sharp, and folium, a leaf." 



The common name of Holly is also of great 

 antiquity. The reason for the name being given 

 is open to conjecture, the most plausible one 



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