l'LEX AQUIFO'LIUM EXAMINED. 47 



EDWARD. 



Will you now read the description of the holly, 

 while I look at the flower ? 



MOTHER. 



In the genus Flex [PLATE 7.], "The calyx is a 

 " very small cup, which has four or five teeth at the 

 " edge. The blossom is of one petal, generally 

 " with four divisions, but there is some variety in 

 " this respect: the segments roundish, and spread- 

 " ing out. The stamens are four, shorter than 

 " the blossom. The germen roundish ; with four 

 " summits, but no styles. The seed-vessel is a 

 " roundish berry, containing four very hard seeds." 

 The leaves, in our species, Aquifo'lium, " are 

 " egg-shaped, thorny, and evergreen, surrounded 

 " by a thickened border : " and in the tree from 

 which this specimen was taken, they are what is 

 called variegated, the leaves in the wild state not 

 being stained with white, but of an uniform dark 

 green colour. The berries are of a bright scarlet. 



EDWARD. 

 I do not understand what is meant by evergreen. 



MOTHER. 



Plants which retain green leaves all the year, 

 in winter as well as in summer, are called so. 



