AQUIFOLIACE.E. 431 



narcotic ; those of the United States are furnished by V. dumosum, f rondo- 

 sum,) and tenellum, &c. The V. arboreum affords an astringent fruit, 

 but of good flavour ; the bark of the root is very astringent, and has proved 

 useful in bowel complaints. The leaves of all of them are astringent, and 

 have been used to tan leather, and also as a remedy in sore mouth and 

 diarrhosa, in form of a strong tea. In Popayan a kind of wine is made from 

 the berries of Thibaudia macrophylla (Humboldt, Nov. Gen. iii. 270), and 

 from the flowers of T. quereme, an aromatic tincture is prepared in Peru, 

 as a remedy for toothache. 



The fruit of Oxyeoccos, called cranberries, are well known both in Europe 

 and the United States ; in the former they are obtained from the O.palustris, 

 and in the latter from 0. macrocarpa. Rafinesque notices two other 

 native species, but they do not appear to be more than varieties. The A me 

 rican fruit is superior in size and flavour to the European. The plant is found 

 as far south as New Jersey, on the seaboard, but extends to Carolina in the 

 mountain districts. They grow in boggy and swampy ground, and are 

 cultivated to some extent in some of the New England States. The berries 

 are very acid and a little astringent, and are much used when stewed with 

 sugar, in which form they are cooling and laxative. These berries keep 

 better than most of the succulent fruits, and are largely exported to the West 

 Indies and Europe. 



Group XXVIII.— Ebenales. 



Order 66.— AQUIFOLIACE^E.— De Candolle. 



Sepals 4 — 6, imbricated in aestivation. Corolla 4 — 6-parted, hypogynous, imbricated in 

 aestivation. Stamens inserted on the corolla, alternate with the segments ; filaments 

 erect; anthers adnate, 2-celled, with a longitudinal dehiscence. Disk none. Ovary 

 fleshy, superior, a little truncated, with 2 — 6, or more cells; ovules solitary, pendulous, 

 often from a cup-shaped funiculus; stigma subsessile, lobed. Fruit fleshy, indehiscent, 

 with from 2 — 6, or more stony seeds. Seeds suspended, nearly sessile ; embryo small, in 

 a large, fleshy albumen. 



A small order of evergreen trees or shrubs, often with angular branches. 

 The leaves are alternate, or opposite, simple, coriaceous, and exstipulate. The 

 species are found in various parts of the world, especially in South America, 

 the West Indies, and South Africa. Some occur in the United States, and 

 but one in Europe. Their general character is that of astringency, but some 

 have sudorific and emetic properties, and a decoction of the root of My gimlet, 

 uragoga, is a most powerful diuretic, and even lithontriptic virtues are attri- 

 buted to it (Flor. Med. Antill. iv. 81). The juice of the leaves of Monetia 

 barlerioides is considered by the Hindoo practitioners as efficacious in catarrh, 

 asthma, and phthisis (Ainslie, ii. 404). The most important medicinal species 

 belong to Ilex and Prinos. 



Ilex. — Linn." 



Calyx small, 4 — 5-toothed. ' Corolla rotate, 4 — 5-parted. Stamens 4 — 5, alternate 

 with the segments of the corolla. Ovary 4-eelled, each with one ovule, style none ; stig- 

 mas 4, sessile. Fruit, a berry, 1-celled, 4-seeded. 



A genus containing a few species of shrubs and trees with alternate leaves, 

 which are in some cases persistent and spinous at their edges. There is a 



