xii Proceedings. S^January z/j-th, i8gg. 



ovary is globose, free, mostly four to five-locular. The fruit is 

 carnose, with as many stones as cells in the ovary. 



Three genera are admitted by Bentham and Hooker in 

 the "Genera Plantarum,"* and these are maintained by Durand,t 

 with the addition oi Sphenostcmon Baill. (1875) from New Cale- 

 donia. 



The three original genera are as follow : 



1. Ilex L. {Pr 17105 L.) sp. 175. Orbis totus. 



2. Byrotiia Endl. sp. 3. Australia tropica ; Ins. Sand- 



vichenses ; Tahiti. 



3. Nemopanthes Rafin. sp. i. America borealis. 



It will thus be seen that of the i8c species included in the Order^ 

 no less than f f ths belong to the widely-distributed Ilex, of which 

 only one species, our common Holly, occurs in Europe, or 

 indeed in the region traversed by the " Flora Orientalis " of 

 Boissier. 



The geographical distribution of the Ilex Aquifolium L. is as 

 follows : 



Europa omnis, praeter Scandinaviam (tantum in Dania et 

 Norvegia meridionali J) Fenniam, Rossiam, Transylvaniam, et 

 Grseciam (solum in monte Delphi). 



In Macedonia, Thracia, Euboea, Byzantio, Bithynia, Ponto, 

 Mingrelia, Iberia Caucasica, Persia boreali. (Boissier.) 



In Africa boreali. 



It does not, therefore, extend to India, nor is it found in 

 North America, where its place is taken by the superficially 

 similar Ilex opaca Ait. {quercifolia Meerb.), with leaves of much 

 softer and less glossy substance. 



The Holly varies in width and breadth of leaf, in quality and 

 quantity of spines and in coloration, the variegated forms being 

 extensively cultivated. Of these the state aptly named ^'■ferox " 

 is one of the most singular. 



The var. balearica Desf is a broad-leaved, almost espinose 

 variety, and it may be that the /. canariensis Poir., with giant 



* Vol. I., p. 356. + Index Getierwn Phanerogainorum, p. 65. 



JNyman, Cojispectus Fl. Eur., p. 144. 



