156 ARBORETUM ET FHUT1CETUM 13RITANN1CUM. 



GENUS I. 



MYGI'NDJ Jacq. THE MYGINDA. Lin. Syst. Tetrandria Monog/uia. 



Identification. Jacq. Araer., p. 24. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 12. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 15. 



Synonymes. /"lex Pursh ; Oreopbila Nutt. in Tor. and Gray. 



Derivation. So named by Jacquin in honour of Francis von Mygind, a German botanist. 



Gen. Char. Calyx small, 4-cleft. Corolla deeply 4-cleft, subiotate. Stamens 4, 

 alternating with the segments of the corolla, and shorter than them, and 

 inserted in its throat. Ovary roundish. Stigmas 4. Drupe ovate, 1-celled. 

 (Don's Mill.) 



Leaves simple, mostly opposite, exstipulate, evergreen ; entire or remotely 

 serrulated. Flowers axillary, subsolitary, minute. One species is hardy. 



j 1. M. A/YRTIFO N LIA Nutt. The Myrtle-leaved Myginda. 



Identification. Nutt. Gen., l.p. 109. , Don's Mill., 2. p. 1ft.; Dec. Prod., 2. 



p. 13. 



Synonymes. /'lex 3/vrsinltes Pursh ; Oreophila wzyrtiibB^ Wutt 

 Engravings. Hook Fl. Bor. Amer., t. 41. ; and our fig. St~- 



Spec. Char. y $c. Leaves oblong, blunt, serrated, smooth, 

 with revolute edges. Peduncles very short usually soli- 

 tary, 1 -flowered. Style short, club-shaped 4-lobed at the 

 apex. (Don's MHL) A lo\r evergreen shrub. N. W. 

 coast of North America, and the Rocky Mountains. 

 Height 2 ft. to 4ft. Introduced in 1818. Flowers small, 

 white; May to August. Drupe dark purple ; ripe in Oct. 



Plants of this species are in the arboretum of Messrs. 

 Loddiges ; where it is increased by cuttings, and grows in 

 common soil. 



GENUS II. 



214. M. myrtif&lia. 



7 N LEX L. THE HOLLY. Lin. Syst. Tetrandria Tetragynia. 



Identification. Lin. Gen., No. 172. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 13. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 16. 



Synonymes. /fquifolium Tourn. Inst. t. 371., Gcert. Fruct. 2. t. 92. ; Houx, Fr. ; Stechpalme, or 

 Heilse, Ger.i Ilice, Ital. 



Derivation. 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, Aqui- 

 folium, from acutum, sharp, and folium, a leaf. 0. Bauhin and Loureiro first named it /'lex, on 

 account of the resemblance of its leaves to those of the Quercus /"lex, the true Ilex of Virgil. 

 Linnaeus adopted the name of /"lex for the genus, and preserved the name of ^(quifolium foi the 

 most anciently known species. The name of Holly is, probably, a corruption of the word holy, 

 as Turner in his Herbal calls it Holy, and Holy Tree ; probably from its being used to comme- 

 moratethe holy time of Christmas, not only in houses, but in churches. The German name 

 Christdorn, the Danish name Christorn, and the Swedish name Christtorn, seem to justify this 

 oonjecture. 



Gfffi. Char. Calyx 4 5-toothed, permanent. Corolla 4 5-cleft, subrotate. 

 Stamens 4 5, alternating with the segments of the corolla. Ovary sessile. 

 Stigmas 4. Berry containing 4 -5 1 -seeded nuts. (Don's Mill.') 



Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate, mostly evergreen j ovate, oval, or 

 ovate-lanceolate, coriaceous, serrated, toothed, or quite entire. Flowers 

 axillary, aggregace, small, generally white. Fruit a drupe, mostly red. Low 

 trees and shrubs, chiefly evergreen, natives of Europe, North America, and 

 the Himalayas, generally of slow growth, and of long duration. Loamy 

 soil, rather dry than moist. 



