HOLLY FAMILY 



AQUIFOLIACEAE 



WINTERBERRY 



Ilex verticillata (L.) Gray 



The American Holly, Ilex opaca Ait., does not occur in 

 Illinois, but the Winterberry is a shrub with deciduous leaves 

 which belongs to the same genus. It occurs from Nova Scotia to 



Minnesota and south 

 to Florida and Missis- 

 sippi, and is usually 

 found in low swampy 

 woods or on low 

 borders of lakes. In 

 Illinois it is found in 

 northern swamps, 

 especially in Lake 

 county, and in 

 swampy woods of the 

 south. 



The twigs are 

 brown and the dark 

 green leaves, which 

 frequently turn black 

 in autumn, are rather 

 thick and leathery, 

 smooth above but 

 somewhat hairy below, at least on the veins. 



The small, whitish and inconspicuous flowers are produced 

 in June or early July. They are imperfect and in axillary clusters, 

 the staminate in clusters of 2-10 and the pistillate 1-3. The 

 pistillate flowers commonly have 6 sepals, 6 petals and i pistil, 

 whereas the parts of the staminate flowers are in fours, fives or 

 sixes. The fruits are bright red berrylike drupes containing 4-6 

 nutlets. They remain on the branches until midwinter and 

 because of them the plant is recommended for ornamental 

 planting in moist places. 



The Swamp or Meadow Holly, Ilex decidua Walt., is a small 

 tree found here only in the swamps of the south. It is noted for its 

 light gray bark ^nd its large scarlet berries, which remain after 

 leaf fall to the last of December. The leaves are characteristically 

 wedge shaped, shiny dark green above, and lighter and downy on 

 the midrib beneath. 



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