156 



ARBORETUM ET FRUTICETUM BRITANNICUM. 



Genus I. 



MYGI'ND^ Jacq. The Myginda. 



Lin. Sj/st. Tetrandria Monog/nia. 



2. p. 15. 



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



Synonymes. /lex Pursh ; Oreuphila Nutt. in Tor. and Gray. 



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



Gen. Char. Ca/j/.r small, 4-cleft. Co;'o//a deeply i-cleft, subi otate. Stamens 'i-, 

 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. 



.* 1. M. .1/yrtifo'lia Xutt. The Myrtle-leaved Myginda. 



Identification. NuU. Gen., 1. p. 109. , Don's Mill., 2. p. l-S ; Dec. Prod., 2. 



p. 13. 

 Synonymes. 7~lex Jl/vrsinites Pursh ; Oreophila ?yrti.611 Hutt 

 Engravings. Hook Fl. Bor. Amer., t. 41. ; and our /g. 2k 



Spec. Char., ^-c. Leaves oblong, blunt, serrated, smooth, 

 with revolute edges. Peduncles very short usually soli- 

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

 apex. (Don's Mitl.) A lovv evergreen shrub. N. W. 

 coast of North America, and the Rocky Mountains. 

 Height 2 ft, to 4 ft. Intrcduced 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. 



m>rtif61ia. 



/^LEX L. The Hollv. Lin. Syst. Tetrandria Tetragynia. 



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



''jnonymes. yjquifblium Tourn. Inst. t. .371., Giert. Fruct. 2. t. 92. ; Houx, Fr. ; Stechpalrae, or 

 Heilse, Ger. ; Ilice, Ital. 



Oerixatinn. Theophrastus, and other Greek authors, named the holly Agria ; that is, wild, or of 

 tht 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 

 acoount of the resemblance of its leaves to those of the Quercus /'lex, the true Ilex of Virgil. 

 LinnfEUS adopted the name of Tlex for the genus, and preserved the name of ^quiffilium for 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- 

 morate^^he 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. 



G<m- 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.') 



Leare^ simple, alternate, exstipulate, mostly evergreen; ovate, oval, or 

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

 axillary, aggregate, 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. 



