American Holly 



629 



of the American holly, but not as extensively. In the form of a decoction the 

 leaves were used by the Indians as an emetic and purgative. 



It is also called Yaupon, Yopon, Cassena tree, Evergreen cassena, Cassioberry 

 bush, and Emetic holly. 



II. AMERICAN HOLLY Ilex opaca Alton 



This handsome evergreen tree is also called White holly; it occurs in moist 

 woodlands or on drj'ish hillsides near the coast from Maine to Florida, in the 

 Gulf States to Texas, and up the Mississippi valley to Missouri and southern 

 Indiana. Its maximum height is 15 meters, with a trunk diameter of i meter. 



The branches are slender, spreading and ascending, forming a conic tree. 

 The bark is up to 12 mm. thick, 

 close, white or grayish. The twigs 

 are finely rusty hairy, soon becom- 

 ing smooth and light brown. The 

 leaves are stiff and leather\% oval, 

 elHptic or obovate, 4 to 10 cm. long, 

 the apex and marginal teeth spine- 

 tipped, rarely nearly entire; they are 

 dark green, smooth and shining 

 above, pale, smooth and dull be- 

 neath; the petiole is short. The 

 flowers, the two kinds usually on 

 different individuals, open from 

 April to June, the staminate 2 to 9 

 on a common stalk; the pistillate 

 flowers are usually solitary; the ca- 

 lyx-lobes are triangular, about i 

 mm. long, finely fringed and sharp- 

 pointed; corolla 5.5 to 6.5 mm. 

 across, its lobes oblong and blunt; the stamens of the staminate flowers exceed the 

 corolla, but in the pistillate flowers they are shorter. The fruit is a bright red 

 drupe, rarely yellow, about i cm. in diameter, smooth and shining; it remains on 

 the branches throughout the winter; nutlets Hght brown, with few but prominent 

 ribs. 



The wood is tough, rather weak, ven,^ close-grained, and white; its specific 

 gravity is about 0.58. It is used for furniture, cabinet work, interior finishing, 

 and in turner}^, for which its whiteness and compactness make it very desirable. 



Immense quantities of the branches, wath their bright red berries and clear 

 green foHage, are used during the winter holidays for decorative purposes. As an 

 ornamental tree it is strikingly beautiful, but it grows slowly and is not often seen 

 in cultivation. 



Fig. 581. American Holly. 



