HOLLY. 



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Family: NERPRUNEES.[Translator's note: now AQUIFOLIACEAE] . 

 Reproductive system: TETRANDRY, TETRAGYNY. 



The common holly tree, Ilex aquifolium, Linn., has a straight, grayish cylindrical 

 trunk that will grow to tree height if it's not cut. The leaves are alternate, oval, undulate, 

 firm, and evergreen. They have stiff, spiny teeth. The flowers are small and are located at 

 the axils of the leaves. The calyx has four sections, the corolla four petals, and the 

 stamens also number four. They develop into pulpy bright red fruit with a sweet but 

 unpleasant taste. 



FLOWERS: about the middle of spring. 



RANGE: France and Europe. 



The Madeira holly, Ilex maderiensis, Lam., is a tree naturalized in our gardens. Its 

 trunk is straight and very branchy. The leaves are large, oval and entire on the margins, 

 which have a few sharp teeth. The flowers and fruit are like those of the common holly. 



FLOWERS: in April and May. 



RANGE: native to Madeira. 



NOMENCLATURE. Greek writers called the common holly agria, meaning rustic, 

 wild. That became agrifolium and aquifolium in Latin. Modern botanists called it ilex 

 because its leaves resemble those of Ouercus ilex [Translator's note: the holly oak], 

 which is actually the ilex mentioned in Virgil. German, die stechpalme, steclaub, der 

 hulse. Danish, maretorn. English, the holly, hollytree. Italian, alloro spinoso. Portuguese, 

 azevinho. Russian, waesoscheld, ostrokrof, padub. Polish, ostokrzew krzewina. 



