This is the most abundant of our hollies. The leaves, which contain a caffeine, 

 were used by aborigines to decoct a ceremonial drink. 



7. Ilex opaca Ait. American holly. 



Tree, evergreen, usually small, sometimes to 16 m. high; twigs rather stout, 

 densely puberulent, subterete or striate-sulcate; petioles puberulent, usually 5-12 

 mm. long, sometimes to 18 mm. long, canaliculate; leaf blades variable, coriaceous, 

 sometimes rigid, dark-green above, paler beneath, elliptic to obovate, to 12 cm. 

 long and 6 cm. wide, acute to subacuminate and spine-tipped at apex, obtuse to 

 rounded or sometimes acutish or subcuneate at base, spinose-dentate or sometimes 

 nearly or quite entire, puberulent above at first along the midvein and at base, often 

 sparsely short-hirtellous beneath along the midvein; inflorescences scattered or 

 fasciculate in the leaf axils, the puberulent staminate cymes 3- to 10-flowered and 

 to 25 mm. long, the pistillate usually 1 -flowered; peduncle of staminate inflores- 

 cence to 1 cm. long; pedicels puberulent, those of staminate flowers to 7 mm. long 

 and without bractlets, those of pistillate flowers 2-10 mm. long and bearing 2 

 bractlets near middle; flowers 4-parted; calyx sparsely puberulent or glabrous, 

 ciliate, the ovate-triangular lobes 1-1.5 mm. long and acute or acuminate; corolla 

 white or yellowish; petals united at base, usually elliptic, to 4 mm. long and 3 mm. 

 wide, sometimes sparsely ciliolate; stamens equaling or exceeding the petals; 

 staminodia shorter than the petals; ovary in pistillate flowers conic-ovoid, about 

 2.5 mm. long, 4-celled, the stigma capitate; drupe globose or eUipsoid, red, rarely 

 yellow, to 12 mm. in diameter; stones 4, ribbed, to 8 mm. long. 



In moist woods, hammocks, along banks of streams and in swamps in e. and 

 s.-cen. Tex., most abundant near the coast, Apr.-June; from Mass., w. to Wise, 

 s. to Fla. and Tex. 



The small branches of this species, loaded with red "berries," are everywhere 

 gathered for decorative use at Christmas time. Although usually found in well- 

 drained woodlands, the American holly is known to be tolerant of wet, swampy 

 woodlands. 



8. Hex Cassine L. Dahoon, dahoon holly. 



Small tree, evergreen, to 10 m. high; twigs rather slender, glabrous or pubes- 

 cent; petioles glabrous or pubescent, canaliculate, stout, to 12 mm. long; leaf 

 blades coriaceous, dark-green and lustrous above, paler beneath, obovate-oblong 

 to oblanceolate or oblong, to 14 cm. long and 45 mm. wide, acute to mucronate 

 or rarely rounded at apex, acute at base, the margin revolute, entire or sometimes 

 serrate above the middle with sharp mucronate teeth, puberulent above, at first 

 densely pubescent beneath but glabrous at maturity except for occasional hairs on 

 the lower surface of the broad midrib; inflorescence peduncled, to 25 mm. long, 

 produced from the young shoots or occasionally from branches of the previous 

 year, the staminate 3- to 9-flowered, the pistillate usually 3-flowered; peduncles 

 and pedicels pubescent, the peduncles to 15 mm. long but usually much shorter, 

 the pedicels to 6 mm. long; flowers usually 4-parted; calyx glabrous, 1 .5-2 mm. in 

 diameter, the ovate-triangular lobes acute to acuminate and ciliate; corolla in 

 staminate flowers to 5 mm. wide; petals united at base, oblong-elliptic, to 2.5 mm. 

 long; stamens subequaling petals; staminodia in pistillate flowers shorter than 

 petals, the small anthers abortive; ovary in pistillate flowers conical, about 2 mm. 

 long, 4-celled, the stigma capitate; drupe globose, red, 5-6 mm. in diameter; 

 stones 4, ribbed, about 4 mm. long. 



In swamps, hammocks and along streams in s.e. Tex., May-June; from Va., 

 s. to Fla. and Tex. 



Texas material is commonly referred to var. latifolia Ait. 



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