Black Alder 



621 



long, blunt-pointed, deciduous, those of the fertile flowers usually shorter than those 

 of the sterile; filaments distinct, awl-shaped, exserted; ovary sessile, nearly cylin- 

 dric, 4- to 6-cclled, rarely more, the stigmas sessile; ovules i or 2, suspended in each 

 cell. The fruit is a fleshy drupe, globose, usually crowned by the withering stigmas; 

 nutlets 4 to 8, bony or crustaceous, one-seeded ; the embr)'o is small and erect. 



This genus furnishes several highly ornamental plants. The European holly. 

 Ilex Aqui folium, is a favorite for evergreen hedges in mild climates; its inner 

 bark is made into Bird Hme by a process of boiling; the leaves have also been used 

 in medicine. 



The name given to these plants by Linnaeus was the ancient name of the 

 European evergreen or Holly oak, on account of the resemblance of its leaves to 

 those of the type species, Ilex Aquijolium Linnaeus. Our arborescent species are: 



Nutlets smooth; leaves deciduous. 



Staminate and pistillate flowers both on short pedicels. 

 Staminate flowers on long pedicels, the pistillate on short pedicels. 

 Nutlets roughened; leaves deciduous or persistent. 

 Leaves deciduous. 



Leaves mostly obovate to spatulate, broadest above the middle. 

 Leaves mostly ovate to lanceolate, broadest below the middle. 



Leaves smooth or but slightly hairy along the venation; calyx smooth 

 without. 

 Leaves 4 to 7 cm. long, not strongly toothed; lowland tree. 

 Leaves 6 to 20 cm. long, strongly toothed; mountain tree. 

 Leaves densely hairy beneath; calyx hairy without. 

 Leaves evergreen, persistent. 



Leaves entire, or with a few teeth near the apex. 

 Leaves linear, i to 4 cm. long. 

 Leaves oblong to oblanceolate, 8 to 10 cm. long. 

 Leaves blunt; twigs dark brown. 

 Leaves taper-pointed; twigs white or gray. 

 Leaves dentate or crenate. 

 Leaves crenate. 

 Leaves dentate, the teeth spiny; or rarely entire with a spiny tip. 



1. /. verticillata. 



2. /. IcBvigata. 



3. /. decidua. 



4. /. amhigua. 



5. /. montana. 



6. /. Beadlei. 



7. /. myrtijolia. 



8. /. Cassine. 



9. I. Krugiana. 



10. /. voniitoria. 



11. /. opaca. 



I. BLACK ALDER Ilex verticillata (Linnaeus) A. Gray 

 Prinos verticillata Linnaeus 



Also called Inkberr>', Virginia winterberry, Winterberry and Feverbush, this 

 common shrub of swamps and wet grounds occurs from Nova Scotia to Ontario, 

 Wisconsin, Florida and Missouri. It rarely becomes a tree, reaching a height of 

 7 meters. 



The branches are alternate and spreading. Its bark is about i mm. thick, 

 close, smooth and of a brown or gray color. The twigs are smooth or but slightly 

 hairy, and brown. The deciduous, rather thick leaves are elliptic or oval, or some- 

 times ovate or obovate, 2 to 8 cm. long, sharply or taper-pointed at the apex, 



