﻿Trees of Xeir York State 287 



AQUIFOLIAGEAE 



Ilex opaca Ait. 



Holly 



Habit — A small tree 20-30 feet in height Avith a trunk diameter of 6-18 

 inches, under favorable conditions sometimes 50 feet tall with a trunk 

 3 feet in diameter. Bole continuous through the cro-wii. Crown compact, 

 conical, consisting of slender, spreading, horizontal or somewhat drooping 

 branches bearing evergreen leaves, often extending nearly to the ground. 



Leaves — Alternate, elliptical to obovate-oblong, 2-4 inches long, pungently 

 acute at the apex, broadly cuneate at the base, sinuate -with rather dis- 

 tant spiny teeth or entire, at maturity coriaceous, dull dark green, gla- 

 brous and centrally grooved above, paler and smootli beneath, borne on 

 short, stout, thickened petioles. 



riowers — Appearing in late May and June in New York State, small, dioe- 

 cious, axillary on slender, puberulous, bracteolate pedicels, the staminate 

 in 3-9-flowered cymes, the pistillate singly or 2-3 together. Calyx minute, 

 4-6-lobed, the lobes triangular, acute, ciliate, persistent. Petals 4-6, 

 oblong, obtuse, greenish white, about % of an inch long. Stamens 4-6, 

 alternate with the petals, exserted, with subulate filaments and oblong 

 anthers. Pistil consisting of a sessile, subcylindrical, 4-6-celled ovary and 

 sessile, usually confluent stigmas which persist in fruit_ 



Pruit — A spherical or ovoid, glabrous, dull red or occasionally yellow drupe, 

 about ^/4 of an inch in diameter, subtended by the persistent calyx, usually 

 borne solitary on short, stout stalks, ripening in the autumn but remain- 

 ing on the branches until the following spring. Nutlets light brown, promi- 

 nently few- ribbed on the back. 



Winter characters — Leaves persisting on the tmg about three years, turning 

 yellowish green during the winter months. Twigs rather stout, glabrous, 

 pale brown, AAdth inconspicuous lenticels. Buds short, the terminal acute, 

 the lateral obtuse and somewhat downy. Mature bark grayish white, 

 roughened by warty excrescences, about % of an inch thick. 



Habitat — Prefers moist sites on the borders of swamps and on rich bottom- 

 lands but thrives on drier soils in protected situations. Along the coast 

 it is frequently found growing behind the protecting sand dunes. 



Range — Coastal region from Maine to Florida and eastern Texas, extending 

 north in the Mississippi basin to southern Illinois and Indiana. It is ex- 

 ceedingly rare at higher elevations in the interior. Zone A. 



Uses — The sprays of evergreen leaves and bright berries (drupes) are used 

 in immense quantities for holiday decoration. The tree possesses orna- 

 mental value but is not used extensively for this purpose because of its 

 slow growth. Wood light, tough, rather weak, close-grained, ivory-white 

 when first cut, turning brown with exposure. , Used for umbrella handles, 

 lor turnery of all sorts, and in the manufacture of souvenirs and nick- 

 nacks. 



