| Holly | n. [ OE holi, holin, AS. holen, holegn; akin to D. & G. hulst, OHG. huls hulis, W. celyn, Armor. kelen, Gael. cuilionn, Ir. cuileann. Cf. 1st Holm, Hulver. ] 1. (Bot.) A tree or shrub of the genus Ilex. The European species (Ilex Aquifolium) is best known, having glossy green leaves, with a spiny, waved edge, and bearing berries that turn red or yellow about Michaelmas. [ 1913 Webster ] ☞ The holly is much used to adorn churches and houses, at Christmas time, and hence is associated with scenes of good will and rejoicing. It is an evergreen tree, and has a finegrained, heavy, white wood. Its bark is used as a febrifuge, and the berries are violently purgative and emetic. The American holly is the Ilex opaca, and is found along the coast of the United States, from Maine southward. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. (Bot.) The holm oak. See 1st Holm. [ 1913 Webster ]
Holly-leaved oak (Bot.), the black scrub oak. See Scrub oak. --
Holly rose (Bot.), a West Indian shrub, with showy, yellow flowers (Turnera ulmifolia). --
Sea holly (Bot.), a species of Eryngium. See Eryngium. [ 1913 Webster ]
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| hollygrape | n. An ornamental evergreen shrub (Mahonia aquifolium) of the Pacific coast of North America having dark green pinnate leaves and racemes of yellow flowers followed by blue-black berries.
Syn. -- Oregon grape, Oregon holly grape, mountain grape, holly-leaves barberry, Mahonia aquifolium. [ WordNet 1.5 ] |
| Hollyhock | n. [ OE. holihoc; holi holy + hoc mallow, AS. hoc; cf. W. hocys mallows, hocys bendigaid hollyhock, lit., blessed mallow. Prob. so named because brought from the Holy Land. See Holy. ] (Bot.) A species of Althæa (Althæa rosea), bearing flowers of various colors; -- called also rose mallow. Rose mallow is listed as a variety of Hibiscus, not Hollyhock in several Web pages. Name change??? [ 1913 Webster +PJC ] |
