H. MOSERIANUM is a beautiful hybrid form with red anthers.

H. OBLONGIFOLIUM (syns H. Hookerianum and H. nepalensis).—­Nepaul, 1823.  An evergreen species, about 4 feet high, with oblong, pellucid, dotted leaves, and deep golden, somewhat waxy flowers at the end of summer.

H. PROLIFICUM.—­North America, 1758.  This is a much branched twiggy shrub, about 4 feet high, with small, linear-lanceolate leaves, thickly studded with pellucid dots.  Flowers not very large, five-petalled, and of a pleasing bright yellow colour.  The allied if not identical H. Kalmiana is worthy of being included in a selection of these plants.

H. URALUM.—­Nepaul, 1823.  A neat but fragile species that attains to about a yard in height.  Leaves rather small, elliptic, almost stalkless, and perforated with transparent dots.  Flowers small and of a bright golden yellow.

H. fasciculatum, H. pyrimidatum, and H. patulum are all worthy of attention, where a good representative collection is of importance.  The Hypericums succeed best when planted in a rather sandy and not too dry loam, and they are readily increased either from divisions or by means of cuttings.

IDESIA.

IDESIA POLYCARPA (syns Flacourtica japonica and Polycarpa Maximowiczii).—­A Japanese tree of small growth, and only introduced to this country in 1866.  It is a handsome, hardy species, bearing large, bright-green leaves with conspicuous crimson footstalks, often 4 inches across, and of a glaucous tint on the under sides.  The deliciously fragrant flowers are greenish-white or yellowish-green, and produced in graceful drooping racemes.  In southern England it does well, and, being a tree of unusual beauty of both leaves and flowers, is well worthy of attention.  Rich loam, not too stiff, will grow the Idesia well.

ILEX.

ILEX AQUIFOLIUM.—­Common Holly.  Europe (Britain) and West Asia.  Though the Hollies are not usually reckoned ornamental for the sake of their flowers, their berries are highly so.  Some of them are nevertheless deliciously fragrant when in bloom.  The leaves of this, our native species, in their typical form are oblong-ovate, wavy, and deeply spiny-toothed.  The tree flowers in May and June, while the clusters of bright red berries ripen in autumn, persist all the winter, and sometimes even hang on tree till a second crop is matured, provided they are not devoured by birds during severe weather.  The varieties are very numerous, and differ chiefly in the form and toothing of the leaves, which are variegated in many cases, their size and form, and in the colour of the berries in a few instances.