244 ECONOMIC BOTANY OF ALABAMA 



(It has been nearly exterminated in this way in some of the north- 

 ern states.) The wood is white, hard, close-grained, and easy to 

 work, and is therefore useful for cabinet-making, interior finish, 

 woodenware, scroll-work, brush-handles, inlaying, carving, chess- 

 men, etc. The leaves, bark and berries have some medicinal prop- 

 erties, but are not officinal. The leaves are sometimes eaten by 

 cattle. 



Grows in various places protected from fire, such as bluffs, 

 ravines, hammocks, and the drier parts of river and creek bottoms. 

 Usually in non-calcareous soils. Common nearly throughout the 

 state ; least so in the Tennessee Valley, black belt, and Mobile 

 delta, and most in regions 6A and lOW, apparently. 



Ilex Cassine, L. (/. Dahoon, Walt.) 



(Dahoox Holly.) Cassena. 



An evergreen shrub or small tree, blooming in April and bear- 

 ing red berries in winter. Ornamental, Init economic properties 

 unknown. 



Grows in non-alluvial swamps in the lower parts of the coastal 

 plain. Rare in Alabama. Dr. Mohr found it near Stockton and 

 Mobile, and I have seen it near Point Clear. 



Ilex myrtifolia, Walt.* (Yaupon.) 



(Map 21) 

 A handsome little evergreen tree or large shrul), with crooked 

 trunk, smoothish gray bark, small stiff pointed evergreen leaves, 

 and red (rarely yellow) berries. The wood is similar to that of 

 /. opoca, but too little known and usually of too small dimensions 

 to be of any importance. The leafy branches with Ijerries are used 

 to some extent for winter decorations, in the regions where it 

 grows. Grows in shallow ponds in the pine woods, in the lower 

 parts of the coastal plain. 



12. Common throughout. 



1,3. Occurs in all the counties, but less common.f 



*This is treated by some authors as a variety of /. Cassine. on account 

 of the supposed occurrence of intermediate forms. But it has a different 

 range and habitat, and I have never seen any intermediate forms. It seems 

 just about as distinct a species as any we have (in genera containing two 

 or more). 



fThe little crooked tree shown on Plate 21 of Dr. Eugene A. Smith's 

 report on the undergrounnd waters of Alabama (published by the State 

 Geological Survey in 1907) is probably of this species. 



