ICACOREA 



ILEX 



1637 



ICAC6REA: Ardisia. 



IDESIA (Yobrants Ides, Dutch traveler in China). 

 Flacourtiaceas. Ornamental tree grown for its hand- 

 some large foliage and also for the attractive orange- 

 red berries. 



Deciduous: Ivs. alternate, long-petioled, 3-5-nerved 

 at the base, crenate-serrate; stipules small, caducous: 

 fls. dioecious, in large terminal panicles; sepals 5 (3-6); 

 petals wanting; stamens, numerous, with villous fila- 

 ments; ovary 1-celled, with 3-6 spreading styles: fr. 

 a many-seeded berry. One species in S. Japan and 

 Cent, and W. China. 



This is a handsome tree with close grayish white 

 bark and spreading branches forming a low broad head; 

 the rather large lustrous leaves are borne on long red- 

 dish stalks; the flowers are not showy, but the orange- 

 red berries, borne in pendulous racemes sometimes 10 

 inches long, are very conspicuous, particularly after 

 the leaves have fallen. The plants raised from seeds 

 recently introduced from Central China have proved 

 hardy at the Arnold Arboretum, at least in favorable 

 positions, while the Japanese plant introduced about 

 fifty years ago is not hardy north of Philadelphia; 

 otherwise there is no difference between the Japanese 

 and the Chinese plant. The tree grows quite rapidly 

 while young and does not seem particular as to the soil. 

 Propagation is by seeds, which germinate readily, and 

 by greenwood and root-cuttings. 



polycarpa, Maxim. (Polycdrpa Maximowiczii, Hort.). 

 Tree, to 50 ft. : Ivs. usually cordate-ovate, rarely oblong- 

 ovate, acuminate, remotely crenate-serrate, deep green 

 above, glaucous below, glabrous, 5-10 in. long; petiole 

 4-6 in. long: fls. greenish yellow, fragrant, in pendulous 

 panicles 4-10 in. long; staminate fls. over 3/in. across, 

 pistillate Min. June; fr. in Sept.-Nov. B.M. 6794. 

 Gn. 12, p. 532; 13, p. 99. R.H. 1872, pp. 174, 175; 1888, 

 pp. 463-5. F. 1874, pp. 64, 65. F.S.R. 2, p. 189. 

 J.H.S. 27:410. L.I. 11. S.I.F. 1:76. Gt. 39, p. 40 

 (habit). F.E. 24:853. G.C. III. 39:13. Var. vestita, 

 Diels. Lvs. densely pubescent or tomentose below. 

 W. China. Tender. Var. crispa, Carr. Lvs. irregularly 

 incised and curled. R.H. 1878, p. 254; 1888, p. 463. 

 Gn. 15, p. 471. Var. fdliis variegatis, Hort. Lvs. 

 variegated with sulfur-yellow and gray. 



ALFRED REHDER. 



ILEX (the ancient Latin name of Quercus Ilex). In- 

 cluding Prinos and Othera. Aquifolidcese (or Ilidneae). 

 HOLLY. Ornamental woody plants, grown for their 

 handsome foliage and the attractive mostly red berries. 



Evergreen or deciduous trees or shrubs: Ivs. alter- 

 nate, petioled, with small, caducous stipules, some- 

 times spiny: fls. dioecious, usually in rather few-fld. 

 axillary cymes; calyx-lobes, petals and stamens usually 

 4, sometimes more; ovary superior; style very short: fr. 

 a berry-like drupe, with 2-8 bony 1-seeded stones. 

 About 275 species in N. and S. Amer., Trop. and Temp. 

 Asia, and few in Afr., Austral, and Eu. Monograph by 

 Loesener in Nov. Act. Leop.-Carol. Acad. 71, pt. 1 

 (1901). For a horticultural monograph, see Dalli- 

 more, Holly, Yew and Box, pp. 1-149 (1909), with 

 many illustrations. 



The hollies have medium-sized, simple leaves, small, 

 inconspicuous, whitish flowers in axillary clusters or 

 solitary, and black, red or sometimes yellow berries, 

 remaining on the branches often until the following 

 spring. Of the evergreen species, only /. glabra and /. 

 opaca are hardy North, and also 7. crenata in somewhat 

 sheltered positions. /. Aquifolium, I. Pernyi, and 7. 

 cornuta are more tender, but stand many degrees of 

 frost if sheltered, while most of the others can be 

 grown only in the South. Of the deciduous species, 7. 

 decidua, I. monticola, I. l&vigala and 7. verticillata are 

 hardy North; also 7. serrata and some other Japanese 

 species are hardy or nearly so. The hollies, especially 

 those with scarlet or red berries, are highly ornamental, 



and the berried branches of 7. opaca and 7. Aqui- 

 folium are in great demand for Christmas decoration. 

 Also 7. Isevigata and 7. verticillata, the prettiest in fruit 

 of the deciduous kinds, are sometimes sold for this 

 purpose. The deciduous species are mostly shrubs, 

 while many of the evergreen species grow into small or 

 medium-sized trees, and 7. opaca is the tallest of the 

 broad-leaved evergreens which are hardy North and 

 thrives even on extremely poor soil, and has good color 

 also; the evergreens 7. crenata, and 7. glabra always 

 remain shrubby. 7. Aquifolium is a favorite evergreen 

 in English gardens, and numerous varieties are there 

 in cultivation; it also grows well on the Pacific coast 

 from British Columbia to California. It stands severe 

 pruning well, and can be clipped and trained into 

 almost every shape; it also makes fine hedges, but its 

 slow growth is a disadvantage. As the chief value of 

 the deciduous species is in the ornamental fruits, and 

 the hollies are dioecious, care should be taken to choose 

 in planting mostly pistillate plants and a few stami- 

 nate ones and to give the former the most prominent 

 place. The light, close-grained and tough wood of 

 some of the arborescent species is much valued for 

 turnery-work, engraving and cabinent-making. The 

 leaves of some tropical species, as 7. paraguariensis and 7. 

 conocarpa, yield a kind of tea known as Yerba de Mate, 

 or Paraguay tea, which is much used in South America. 

 The hollies grow best in rich, well-drained soil, and 

 the evergreen ones in partly shaded situations, but 7. 

 Isevigata, I. verticillata and also 7. serrata prefer moist 

 places, and grow even in swamps. Most of the species 

 grow slowly, and are not easily transplanted when 

 older. The best time for moving the evergreen species 

 is the early fall, when the young wood has almost 

 ripened, or in the spring just before the plants start 

 into new growth. The leaves should be stripped on 

 7. opaca and 7. Aquifolium when transplanted, particu- 

 larly if at all exposed or at least nearly all. This is 

 absolutely necessary to insure success. Wild hollies 

 may be handled this way with success, particularly if 

 cut back as well. Propagation is by seeds, which do 

 not germinate until the second year, and are therefore 

 stratified and treated like those of the slow-growing 

 hawthorns. The young seedlings should be transplanted 

 after the second year. The evergreen species may be 

 increased by cuttings of ripened wood under glass, 

 especially the shrubby ones; they are also sometimes 

 grafted or budded on seedlings of 7. Aquifolium or 

 7. opaca. 



INDEX. 



