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    Jolly Holly
    By Robert H Olley | December 18th 2011 12:55 PM | 2 comments | Print | E-mail | Track Comments
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    About Robert H

    Until recently, I worked in the Polymer Physics Group of the Physics Department at the University of Reading.

    I would describe myself

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    Christmas is one week away, and so here, for all Science 2.0 readers, is a picture of variegated Holly (Ilex aquifolium).  I took it on the 10th of December this year, just as the weather was turning cold.

    The full-size picture is 1632 x 1224, and if you want to download it and use it in your Christmas graphics, it’s yours to copy.

    Comments

    UvaE
    Feel free to delete this if it goes against the spirit of Christmas,
     but I can't resist to outline some of its chemistry:
     Type of Compound 
    in variegated holly
         		 Specific compound
    		Structure 
    Phenolic derivatives
         		 
    vanillic acid(fruit)
         		 
       
    cyanidin-3-xylosylglucoside
    (fruit)
    		 
      
     p-hydroxybenzoic 
     acid
    (fruit)
    		 
     anthocyanins  
     pelargonidin-3-glucoside 
    (fruit)
    		 
      
    Flavonoid
    		  
    quercetin-3-rutinoside 
    (leaves)
    		 
      
    Terpenoids
    		  
    alpha-amyrin 
    (bark, leaves, fruit)
    		 
       
    ursolic acid 
    (leaves, fruit)
    		 
       
    oleanolic acid (leaves)
    		 
       
    ilex lactone (fruit)
    		 
      
     Sterols
    		  
    ergosterol (leaves);
    		 
       
    beta-sitosterol (fruit)

      
     Alkaloids
    		  
    theobromine
    		 
      
    Fatty acids
    		  
    pentadecanoic acid (leaves
    		 
       
    palmitic acid (leaves)
    		 
       
    stearic acid (leaves)
    		 
      
    arachidic acid (leaves)
         		 
       
    oleic acid (leaves)
    		 
       
    linolenic acid (leaves)
    		 
     
    Cyanogenic 
    glucosides
         		  
    2 beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy-
    p-hydroxy-6,7-dihydromande-lonitrile 
    (fruit, leaves, bark)
    (Alkaridis, 1987; Budzikiewicz, 1979; Willems, 1988)
    More to come!
    http://www.inchem.org/documents/pims/plant/ilexaqui.htm#SectionTitle:2.6%20%20%20Main%20toxins
    Enrico Uva | 12/18/11 | 15:58 PM
    rholley
    Enrico,

    We have our Royal Institution Christmas Lectures in the days immediately following.  This year’s offering is a three-parter entitled Meet Your Brain.
    —
    Robert H. Olley Quondam Physics Department University of Reading England
    Robert H Olley | 12/21/11 | 04:11 AM