FLOWERING TREES AND SHRUBS 93 



of a glaucous tint on the undersides. The deliciously 

 fragrant flowers are greenish-white or yellowish-green, and 

 produced in graceful drooping racemes. [In Southern 

 England it does well, and, being a tree of unusual beauty 

 of both leaves and flowers, is well worthy of attention. 

 Rich loam, not too stiff, will grow the Idesia well. 



I. poltcaepa ceispa is a distinct form in which the leaves 

 are curiously crisped and cut. 



Ilex (Ilicineae). 



Ilex Aqtjifolium. — Common Holly. Europe (Britain) 

 and West Asia. Though the Hollies are not usually 

 reckoned ornamental for the sake of their flowers, their 

 berries are highly so. Some of them are nevertheless 

 deliciously fragrant when in bloom. The leaves of this, 

 our native species, in their typical form are oblong-ovate, 

 wavy, and deeply spiny-toothed. The tree flowers in May 

 and June, while the clusters of bright-red berries ripen in 

 autumn, and persist all the winter, sometimes even hanging 

 on the tree till a second crop is matured, provided they 

 are not devoured by birds during severe weather. The 

 varieties are very numerous, and differ chiefly in the form 

 and toothing of the leaves, which are variegated in many 

 cases, their size and form, and in the colour of the berries 

 in a few instances. 



I. Aquifolium albo-marginata has ovate, nearly flat, 

 spiny-serrate leaves, with a narrow silvery margin, and 

 fruits freely. I. Aquifolium fructu albo has white berries ; 

 in I. Aquifolium fructu luteo they are yellow and very 

 abundantly produced; and in I. Aquifolium fructu nigro 

 they are black. I. Aquifolium hands worthensis has 

 elliptic-oblong spiny leaves, with a creamy-white margin 

 and marbled with grey. Grafted trees bear berries in great 

 profusion from the time they are only a foot high, and are 

 highly ornamental. I. Aquifolium Hodginsii has large, 



