212 TREE ANCESTORS 



it, especially in the rural parts of Europe. Lonicerus mentions a 

 German belief that consecrated twigs of the holly hung over a door 

 would afford protection against Hghtning; and holly used to decorate 

 churches in rural England is deemed to bring good luck throughout 

 the year to those fortunate enough to secure a sprig, especially if 

 it had berries on it. 



The holly belongs to the botanical genus Ilex, the name being 

 the classical name of the evergreen oak of southern Europe which 

 has leaves very much like those of the Christmas holly. Thus both 

 the Latin name of the genus, and the vernacular name refer to the 

 evergreen holly of Europe which is the only species inhabiting that 

 continent in the world of today. However, there are a great many 

 other species of holly found in different parts of the world. Over 

 1 70 kinds have been distinguished by botanists, and some of these 

 are found in all tropical and temperate parts of the world except 

 western North America, Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea. 



They are all shrubs or trees, with alternately arranged, entire 

 or toothed, rather coriaceous leaves; small inconspicuous flowers; 

 and drupaceous fruits, often bright colored, and enclosing several 

 small stones. The greatest number of these modern hollys are 

 found in northern South America. The only surviving form in 

 Europe is Ilex aqinfoHum which has dark green, shining, leathery, 

 evergreen leaves, often with spiny margins, especially on young 

 trees. An old border proverb defines a story teller as one that 

 "lees never but when the hoUen in green," a most feHcitous apella- 

 tion for a habitual Har. 



The European tree is usually small but is said to reach a height 

 of 60 to 70 feet in Surrey, and Loudon mentions one tree that was 

 80 feet tall. It vnll grow on any soil that is not too wet, and is 

 common in France, especially in Brittany. There are numerous 

 varieties much used in plantings and for hedges, the latter a practice 

 not followed in America. Evelyn's holly hedge in Deptford was 

 400 feet long. 



This European tree is the holly per se, or hulver; the aquifoHum 

 of Theophrastus and other classical writers, whence its modern 

 scientific specific name. It was the holen or holegn of the Anglo- 



