76 XXIII. ILICINKM. [Ilex 



1. ILEX, Linn. 



Flowers generally bisexual. Calyx small, 4-5-parted. Corolla rotate, 4-, 

 rarely 5-6-parted, divisions obtuse. Stamens adhering to base of corolla ; 

 anthers oblong. Ovary sessile, 4-6-celled. Drupe globose, with 4-8 stones, 

 more or less distinct. 



Leaves coriaceous, generally serrate, with strong spinescent teeth ; 



flowers bisexual, tetramerous ; drupe generally with 2 stones 1. /. dipyrena. 

 Leaves membranous, entire ; flowers bisexual, pentamerous ; drupe 



with 5 stones . . . . 2. I. exsulca. 



Leaves coriaceous, crenulate; flowers unisexual, tetramerous; drupe 



with 4 stones 3. /. odorata. 



To this genus belong the common English Holly, Ilex Aquifolium, L., a slow- 

 growing shrub or small tree in the forests of western and southern Europe, from 

 Norway to Turkey, on the Caucasus, and in Western Asia ; stands deep shade, 

 and produces a hard homogeneous wood. Also Ilex paraguayensis, the leaves 

 of which yield the Mati, or Paraguay tea, 



1. I. dipyrena, Wall Tab. XV. Eoxb. EL Ind., ed. Carey, i. 473; 

 "Wall. PI. As. rar. t. 292. Himalayan Holly. Yern. Shangala, kandlu, 

 kandlar, kalucho, krucho, diusa, dodru, drunda, Pb. ; Kaula, Nepal. 



Extremities and pedicels pilose, leaves glabrous. Leaves coriaceous, 

 shining, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, on short channelled petioles, some quite 

 entire, but generally bordered with large, strong prickly teeth. Flowers 

 tetramerous, bisexual, on short pedicels, with 2 small bracts, clustered in 

 axillary rounded fascicles. Petals broadly ovate, obtuse. Stamens as lon 

 as petals. Ovary small, stigma sessile, obscurely 2-lobed. Drupe crownec 

 with persistent base of style, red when ripe, dark brown when dry, globose, 

 J inch across. Stones 2, sometimes 3-4, irregularly furrowed and rugose 

 outside. 



Himalaya, from the Indus to Bhutan, between 5000 and 9500 ft. Not quite 

 hardy in England. Fl. Apr.- June ; fr. Aug.-Oct. A moderate-sized evergreen 

 tree, 30-40 ft. high, with a straight symmetrical trunk, attaining a large girth. 

 Madden records one of 16-17 ft. near Naini-Tal. Numerous branches, forming 

 a dense oval crown. Bark of stem and larger branches greenish grey, smooth, 

 slightly marked, with long shallow longitudinal, and short small transverse 

 wrinkles. Foliage shining, dark green. Wood light-coloured, heavy, close 

 and hard, with distinct medullary rays. 



2. I. exsulca, Wall. Syn. Ehretia umbellulata, Wall., and Cassine 

 excelsa, Wall, in Eoxb. Fl. Ind., ed. Carey, i. 344 and 376. Sometimes 

 called Ilex excelsa. Vern. Tumari, N.W.P. 



Leaves membranous, ovate, acuminate, entire, glabrous, on petioles J 

 in. to 1 in. long, with minute, caducous stipules. Flowers bisexual, 

 generally pentamerous, small, greenish white, fragrant, in axillary umbel- 

 late cymes, on a common pilose peduncle, varying in length, with small 

 bracts at the base of pedicles. Petals spreading, then recurved. Stamens 

 longer than petals. Stigma sessile, 4-5-lobed. Drupe globose, J in. across, 

 with five 3-sided stones. 



Siwalik tract, and outer ranges of Himalaya, ascending to 6000 ft., from the 

 Jumna to Assam, Kasia hills, and Malayan peninsula. Evergreen ; blooms 



