Holly. •• 313 



from ten to fourteen inches in height. It has a straight, smooth 

 stem. The leaves, small, scattered, and sharp. The flowers 

 which are small and blue, are fixed on a loose terminal raceme. 

 Scions covered with leaves, sometimes come out from the root. 

 It is a very common plant, mostly found by the road-side, 

 perhaps because driven from other places, and blooms in July 

 and August. 



Holly. 



The Ilex Aquifolium-Holly, is in the class, Tetrandria, 

 order, Tetragynia ; the origin of the generic name is unknown. 

 Its characters are : — calyx, four toothed ; corolla, wheel- 

 shaped ; style, none ; berry, four seeded. Specific characters : 

 leaves, ovate, acute, shining, spiny waved. Flowers, axillary, 

 umbelled. 



Some to the holly-hedge 

 Nestling repair, and to the thicket some ; 

 Some to the rude protection of the thorn. 



Thompson. 



This is an ornamental timber tree, bearing a white flower 

 from May to June, followed by red berries which ripen late. 

 The Holly leaf, a writer remarks, is one of the most singular 

 in nature. By a remarkable contrivance, the points beneath 

 the scollops of the leaf are made to answer the purpose of 

 thorns pointing every way. It is, as it were, warped by the 

 action of fire up and down or in and out at the edges, so that 

 it is armed above and below, by those exceedingly sharp and 

 penetrating needles. The stiff and almost horny substance of 

 the leaf, hardened as it were at those extremities, enables it to 

 resist many injuries from men and animals, who might other- 

 wise wantonly destroy it. 



The wood of this tree is exceedingly hard, solid, and heavy, 

 and is worked by cabinet-makers and engravers on wood. Of 

 the bark the best bird-lime is made ; both leaves and berries 

 form a nutritious and grateful food for the deer and small birds 



