138 TREES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



AQUIFOLIACE^E. HOLLY FAMILY. 



Ilex opaca, Ait. 

 HOLLY. AMERICAN HOLLY. 



Habitat and Range. Generally found in somewhat sheltered 

 situations in sandy loam or in low, moist soil in the vicinity 

 of water. 



Maine, reported on the authority of Gray's Manual, 

 sixth edition, in various botanical works, but no station is 

 known ; New Hampshire and Vermont, no station reported ; 

 Massachusetts, occasional from Quincy southward upon 

 the mainland and the island of Naushon ; rare in the peat 

 swamps of Nantucket ; Rhode Island, common in South 

 Kingston and Little Comptoii and sparingly found upon Pru- 

 dence and Conanicut islands in Narragansett bay ; Connecti- 

 cut, mostly restricted to the southwestern sections. 



Southward to Florida ; westward to Missouri and the bottom- 

 lands of eastern Texas. 



Habit. A shrub or small tree, exceptionally reaching a 

 height of 30 feet, with a trunk diameter of 15-18 inches, but 

 attaining larger proportions south and west ; head conical or 

 dome-shaped, compact; branches irregular, mostly horizon- 

 tal, clothed with a spiny evergreen foliage. The fertile trees 

 are readily distinguished through late fall and early winter by 

 the conspicuous red berries. 



Bark. Bark of trunk thick, smooth on young trees, 

 roughish, dotted on old, of a nearly uniform ash-gray on 

 trunk and branches ; the young shoots more or less downy, 

 bright greenish-yellow, becoming smooth and grayish at the 

 end of the season. 



Winter Buds and Leaves. Buds short, roundish, generally 

 obtuse, scales minutely ciliate. Leaves evergreen, simple, 

 alternate, 2-4 inches long, 1- 3 inches wide, flat when com- 

 pared with those of the European holly, thickish, smooth on 

 both sides, yellowish-green, scarcely glossy on the upper 

 surface, paler beneath, elliptical, oval or oval-oblong; apex 



