I. Aquifolium Varieties 



In general appearance it resembles some of 

 the large-leaved forms such as maderensis, whilst 

 herbarium specimens closely approach those of 

 the Canary Island species. In the Kew 

 Herbarium there are many type specimens of I. 

 Aquifolium collected in various parts of Europe, 

 which show great variation in size and spininess 

 of leaf, yet all can be traced to typical I. 

 Aquifolium, except the Balearic forms, which all 

 agree more closely with specimens of other 

 species. 



Another point in favour of the large-leaved 

 set being varieties of a species other than I. 

 Aquifolium, or hybrids, is, that all the descend- 

 ents of I. Aquifolium appear to revert to the 

 type, directly or indirectly, at some period of their 

 existence, whereas the large-leaved Hollies never 

 seem to produce typical "Common Holly" 

 leaves. 



There is also a difference in the colour of the 

 ovules, but whether this can be accepted as a good 

 character or not is doubtful ; at any rate in all the 

 varieties I have examined, the ovules of the 

 large-leaved set, when well advanced, say the 

 middle of July, are reddish purple in colour, 

 whilst, with two exceptions, all the varieties of 

 the "Common Holly" I have examined have 

 white ovules ; the two exceptions are the 

 "yellow fruited variety" and the one called 

 " camelliaefolium," and in these cases the ovules 



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