Flora Medica

AQUIFOLIACE^E.Nat. syst. ed. 2. p. 228.ILEX.Calyx inferior, small, with 4 small teeth, permanent. Corollawheel-shaped, in 4 deep, elliptical, spreading, concave, segments ;or of 4 petals, cohering by their broad bases ;much larger thanthe calyx. Filaments awl-shaped, shorter than the corolla, andalternate with its divisions. Anthers small, 2-lobed. Ovaryroundish. Styles none. Stigmas 4, obtuse, permanent. Berryglobular, of 4 cells. Seeds insolitary each cell, oblong, pointed,angular at the inside, rounded externally. Smith.801. I. Aquifolium Linn. sp. 181. Eng. Bot. t. 496. Eng.Fl. i. 227. Hedges and thickets in dry sandy places. (Holly.)A handsome evergreen tree, of slow growth, with a smooth greybark, which, abounding with mucilage, makes bird-lime, by macerationin water. The wood is hard and close-grained. Leaves alternate,stalked, rigid, shining, wavy, with spinous divaricated lobes the ; upperones on old trees entire, with only a terminal prickle. Flowers copious,white, tinged externally with purple the earlier ones least ; perfect.Berries scarlet ; casually yellow. Dr. Rouseau asserts that the leavesare equal to Peruvian Bark in the cure of intermittent fever. Theroot and bark are said to be emollient, resolving, expectorant anddiuretic. Haller recommends the juice of the leaves in icterus. Reilalso affirms that he has employed the bark successfully in cases ofepidemic intermittent fever when Peruvian Bark had failed. Trans, ofMed. Bot. soc. 1834, p. 4.802. I. vomitoria Linn. sp. pi. 709. R. and S. iii. 491.Cassine Peragua Mill. diet. t. 83. f. 2. Ilex ligustrina Jacq. ic.rar. ii. t. 310. Ilex Cassena Elliot, ii. 681. (Pluk. t. 376. f. 2.)Florida and Carolina near the sea.A shrub 6-15 feet high, stoloniferous ; branches virgate, erect, thesmaller expanding; bark smooth, when very young pubescent. Leavesalternate, perennial, glabrous, shining, coriaceous. Flowers in axillaryclusters ;each peduncle 3-flowered. Peduncles short, slightly downy.Teeth of the calyx very minute. Segments of the corolla obtuse. Filamentsshorter than the corolla. Berry globose, scarlet, 4-celled. Astrong decoction of this plant called black drink is used by the tribes ofthe Creek Indians at the opening of their councils. It acts as a mildemetic.393