114 TETRANDRIA TETRAGYNIA 



Shrubs : leaves alternate, penninerved, stipular ; flowers in subsessile axiilary 

 Clusters, with a 3-leaved involucre. Nat. Ord. 42 Lindl. IIanamelidea. 



1. H. virginica, />. Leaves obovate and oval, sinuate-dentate, acute 

 or obtuse, unequal and obliquely subcordate at base. Beck, But. p. 

 152. Icow, Bart. Jtm. 3, tab. 78. 

 Virginian Hamamrlis. Vulgo — Witch Hazel. 



Stem 8 to 12 feet high, mostly several from the same root; branches numerous 

 long, flexuose or somewhat geniculate. Leaves 1 to 6 Inches long and 3 to 5 inches 

 wide, mostly obovate and rather acute, obtusely sinuate-dentate, slightly scabrous 

 en both sides and ciliate on the margin, pubescence branched or stellate ; petioles 

 about half an inch long. Flowers clustered in threes on a short common peduncle. 

 Leaves of the involui re small, ovate. Calyx pubescent. Petals greenish yellow, 

 narrow, linear, a Little crisped, about three-fourths of an inch in length. Stamens 

 very short-, and at the base of each petal a short flat truncate nectary, or filament, 

 dilated at apex, and nearly as long as the stamens. Ovary hirsute ; styles very 

 short. Capsule ovoid, half superior, bisulcate at apex, opening elastically and 

 transversely, or across the dissepiment; cells polished internally. Seeds coated,. 

 black and shining. 

 Hob* Borders of moist woodlands, and thickets: frequent. Fl. Octo. Fr. Sept. 



Obs. 1 find this generally polygamous;— or the stamens (and likewise the pe- 

 tals) wanting, in several of the little clusters of flowers. The flowers of this sin- 

 gular shrub appear after it has shed its leaves, in autumn; and the fruit is not per- 

 fected until the foil using year. Possibly this anomaly may have given rise u> 

 some of the absurd notions, respecting its magical properties, which enable xcatcr- 

 smellers, and other impostors, to practice upon credulous ignorance. This is pro- 

 bably the only species in the U. States; as I suspect the H. macrophylla, of Pursh % 

 is not distinct from our plant. There is, however, another variety (var. pam/oU*, 

 Mfg.), which has been found as near to us as York County, in this State, by Mr. 

 0eo. W. Hall. 



[Gentiana crinita. Cuscuta curopaea. Pentandria Digynia] 



Order 4. Tetragynia. 



83. ILEX. /,. JSTutt. Gen. 163. 

 [A name of obscure and uncertain etymology.] 



Dioicously roLTGAMous : Calyx 4 or 5-toothed, persistent. Corol- 

 la 4 or 5-petalled, slightly cohering at base, subrotate. Stamens 4 or 

 6, alternating with the petals. Stigmas 4 or 5, subsessile, distinct, or 

 united. Berry 4 or 5-seeded. 



Small Trees* or Shrubs : leaves mostly alternate, coriaceous, everpreen and spi- 

 nost -toothed; flowers pedunculate, axillary, or scattered on the yoang branches, 

 eften dioicous by abortion. Nat. Ord. 1G6. LindL Ilicinb^. 



I . I. opaca, Mt. Leaves oval, acute, flat, sharply spinose-dentate, cori- 

 aceous, glabrous ; flowers scattered at the base of the young branches. 

 Beck, Bot. p. 230. Icon, Mx. f. Sylva, 2. tab. 84. 

 I. aquifolium. Marsh. Arbust. p. 63. Not of Linn. 

 Opake Ilex. Vulgo — Holly. American Holly. 



Stem 10 to 20 feet high; branches spreading. Leaves 2 or 2 and a half inches 

 long, and about an inch wide, evergreen and coriaceous, mostly oval, sinuate-dea- 



