Jmpatiens.] G-ERANLACEjE. 85 



I. noli-me-tan'gere, L. ; glabrous, leaves oblong obtuse crenate- 



serrate, peduncles 1-3-flowered, posterior sepal funnel-shaped gradually 



contracted into a slender spur with an entire tip. Yellow Balsam. 



Moist mountainous situations, probably wild in N. "Wales and Westmoreland ; 



an escape elsewhere ; and in Ireland ; fl. July-Sept. — Annual, succulent, 1-2 ft., 



nodes thickened. Leaves 2-4 in., alternate, membranous ; petiole half as long, 



slender. Flowers \\ in., drooping, pale-yellow dotted with red, proterandrous. 



— Distrib. Europe, Siberia, W. Asia. 



I. ful'va, Nuttall ; habit and characters of I. noli-me-tangere, but leaves 

 acute, serratures more shallow, flowers orange, posterior sepal saccate 

 suddenly contracted into an upcurved spur with a notched tip. 

 Naturalized on river-banks in Surrey, the Clyde, and other places ; fl. June- 



Aug. — A North American plant, naturalized within the last 50 years, and 



spreading rapidly. 



I. parviflo'ra, DC. ; leaves elliptic- ovate acuminate serrate, peduncles 

 erect 3-10-flowered, posterior sepal contracted into a short straight spur. 

 A garden escape, naturalized in several places ; fl. July-Nov. — An annual weed, 



with very small yellow flowers (none cleistogamic). — Distkib. Siberia. 



Order XX. ilici ne.se or aquifolia'ceje. 



Shrubs or trees. Leaves alternate, simple, often evergreen ; stipules 

 minute or 0. Flowers small, in axillary cymes, often polygamous. Calyx 

 3-6 parted, imbricate in bud, persistent. Petals 4-5, distinct or connate 

 at the base, deciduous, imbricate in bud. Stamens 4 or 5, hypogynous, 

 free or adnate to the petals, filaments subulate ; anthers oblong. Disk 0. 

 Ovary free, 3- or more-celled ; style or short, stigmas terminal ; ovules 

 1, or 2 and collateral in each cell, pendulous, raphe dorsal ; funicle often 

 cupular. Drupe with 3 or more 1 -seeded distinct or connate stones. 

 Seed with a membranous testa, fleshy albumen, and minute straight 

 embryo. — Distrib. Temp, and trop. regions, absent from N.W.America ; 

 genera 3 ; species 150. — Affinities. Differing from Olacinece only in 

 the several-celled ovary. — Properties. Antiseptic and astringent. 

 Holly berries are purgative and emetic ; bark yields bird-lime. "Mate" 

 or " Paraguay tea is the leaf of Llex paraguayensis. 



1. ilex, L. Holly. 



Calyx 4-5-parted, persistent. Corolla rotate ; petals connate at the 

 base or distinct. Stamens 4, adhering to the base of the corolla. Ovary 

 4-6-celled ; stigmas free or confluent. Drupe globose, with 4 stones or a 

 4-5-celled stone. — Distrib. Trop. and temp, regions, abundant in S. 

 America, rare in Africa and Australia ; species 145. — Etym. doubtful. 



I. Aquifo'lium, L. ; glabrous, shining, leaves ovate spinescent. 



