(seq. 3)

23. April 1814

Stephen Elliott Esq {Esquire}
Charleston

To the care of Mr. Quan

St Stephens, April 23 1814

Dear Sir,

Since my last I have had an opportunity of
seeing the evergreen shrub in bloom. Its class is Dioecia
as I had suspected. I searched in vain for a male plant.
I find almost invariably that the number of the dentations
of the calyx, of the petals & of the stamina is the same
in each particular flower. The number varies from 7
to 10.
Nine is by far most common, seven & 10 rather rare.
The rudiments of the anthera are generally purplish in well
blown flowers. The stigma is elliptical or oblong & not so
circular as it generally is in Ilex. The stamina are in
=serted into the corolla which is monopetalous but deeply
divided. It is which much more persistent than in
many of the
species of Ilex & when bruina becomes black. You will notice
that each flower is furnished with its proper pedicell 1/2
an
inch or 3/4 in length. The flowers cannot be said to be
borne
in racemes. I should have said before that the seed of the
berry invariably agree in number with the stamina &c &c
The corolla is white— In the packet now sent you will
see specimens marked No 1—

You will find also speciemens of the
Slettaria [Stellaria] aflora of Walter Arenaria— of
Michx. It is
now in bloom. Grows in bogs.

I send you some leaves of a species
of Ilex [diff.?] from I. opaca. The tree (at least) is
disim
=ilar in general aspect. The old trees bear leaves with
seldom a single spine. I have never seen the berries.

I am fearful you will think I am
growing idle. I am prevented partly by business &
partly from not knowing what maybe a acceptable
to you from sending you more specimens— Besides
I expect you will soon do me the favour of a visit when I
shall
have the pleasure of pointing out to you our plants &
? the state most proper for investigation