ILEX 647 



I. ELLIPTICA (I. dipyrena var. elliptica, Dallimore). Although commonly 

 regarded as a form* of the common holly, this is, no doubt, a variety or 

 (more likely) a hybrid of the Himalayan one, which in general appearance 

 it closely approaches, the leaves being a dull green, although shorter and 

 comparatively broader. 



I. FARGESII, Franchet. FAROE'S HOLLY. 



An evergreen small tree, up to 15 or 20 ft. high, quite devoid of down in 

 all its parts. Leaves narrow-oblong or narrowly oblanceolate, 2 to 5 ins. long, 

 f to f in. wide ; slenderly tapered and entire towards the base, more abruptly 

 tapered towards the apex, where are a few incurved teeth ; dull green ; stalk 

 1- to \ in. long, reddish. Fruit red, globose, often in threes or fours in the 

 leaf-axils, \ in. diameter ; stalk \ in. long, reddish. 



Native of W. China, in the province of Szechuen ; introduced by Wilson for 

 Messrs Veitch in 1900. It is not a species of great promise as an ornamental 

 evergreen, but is remarkably distinct in its long, narrow, opaque leaves. On 

 young plants they are more toothed towards the base than in adult ones. 



I. GLABRA, A. Gray. INKBERRY. 



(Prinos glaber, Linnceus.*) 



An evergreen shrub, 2 to 5 ft. high, with erect branches, densely leaty ; 

 young shoots angular, minutely downy, Leaves narrowly obovate to oblanceo- 

 late, entire, or with a few obscure teeth near the apex ; f to if ins. long, to 

 f in. wide ; dark green above, paler beneath, glossy and smooth on both 

 surfaces ; stalk ^ to ^ in. long. Male flowers borne three or more together on 

 a slender stalk ; females solitary ; both very small. Fruit round, black, J in. 

 diameter. 



Native of Eastern X. America ; introduced in 1759. Emerson says this 

 shrub is occasionally found 8 or 9 ft. high, but it is very slow-growing, and 

 plants I know to be forty years old are only 3 or 4 ft. high. It is a neat-habited 

 evergreen, quite unarmed, but of no particular merit, and rather like a 

 Phillyrea. 



I. IXSIGNIS, Hooker fit. 



It is unfortunate that this splendid holly can only be grown in the milder 

 parts of the British Isles. At Kew it has to be given the protection of a cool 

 greenhouse. It is a small evergreen tree without any down ; branchlets stout, 

 silvery grey, lustrous. Leaves oblong, inclined to ovate ; 5 to 9 ins. long, 2 to 

 2^ ins. wide ; slender-pointed, tapered at the base, armed at the edges with 

 small spine-tipped teeth ; dark dull green ; midrib pale green, prominent ; stalk 

 | to i in. long, purplish. Fruit bright red, roundish oval, f in. long, scarcely 

 stalked. 



Native of Sikkim at 6000 to 8000 ft. In a small or seedling state it is quite 

 distinct, the leaf-margins being wavy and formidably armed with numerous 

 spiny teeth \ to \ in. long, pointing different ways. 



I. INTEGRA, Thunberg 



(Othera iaponica, flort.") 



An evergreen tree, 30 to 40 ft. high in Japan, about half as high at present 

 in this country ; pyramidal when young ; young shoots angled, smooth. 

 Leaves obovate or oval, ii to 4 ins. long, f to i^ ins. wide, tapered more 



