ILLINOIS PLANT INFORMATION NETWORK
 
 ILPIN INFORMATION ON    Ilex opaca
 
 
 CLASS:    DICOTYLEDENAE
 ORDER:    CELASTRALES
 FAMILY:   AQUIFOLIACEAE
 SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Ilex opaca
 AUTHORITY:  Ait.
 
 COMMON NAMES:
    AMERICAN HOLLY
 
 SYNONOMY:   None
 
 PLANTS CODE: ILOP
 
 NATURAL COMMUNITIES:
     FOREST
       UPLAND FOREST
         MESIC
 
 SAF FOREST COVER TYPE:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 NATURAL DIVISION:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 COUNTIES:
   UNION
 
 GROWTH FORM:  Dicot-woody
 
 TAXONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS:
    ROOTS:  Primary
    LEAF ARRANGEMENT:   Alternate
    LEAF TYPE:   Simple
    LEAF MARGIN:  Other
    LEAF VENATION:  Pinnate
    LEAF SHAPE:     Oblong     Obovate
    INFLORESCENCE:   Solitary- few   Other
    FLOWER STRUCTURE:   Complete   Regular
    FLOWER COLOR:   White
    FLOWER PLACEMENT:  Hypogynous
    FRUIT:   DRUPE
 
 DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC COMMENTS:
     Leaves are evergreen, leathery, tipped with a stout spine and with
     spine-tipped teeth on each margin; drupes are red; flowers in
     clusters, pistillate solitary.
 
 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
     ORIGIN:   Native
 
 POPULATION DYNAMICS:
     STATE STATUS: Not listed
     FEDERAL STATUS: Not listed
     COMMONNESS:  Rare
     ENDEMIC:   NOT-ENDEMIC
 
 BIOLOGIC:
     HABIT:   Tree   Shrub
     LIFE CYCLE:   Perennial
     REPRODUCTION:   Sexual
     FLOWERING PERIOD:
         MONTH BEGINNING-      5         MONTH END-      6
     TROPHIC STATUS:  Autotrophic
     C02 FIXATION:  C3
     SEX:      Perfect     Unisexual   -dioecious
 
 BIOLOGIC COMMENTS:
     Species is polygamodioecious.
 
 ECODISTRIBUTION COMMENTS:
     Species is distributed on rocky, wooded slope.
 
 ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:   No data entered
 
 FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:    No data entered
 HUMAN RELATIONSHIP DATA:
     EDIBLE:  Poisonous
 
 
 HUMAN FACTOR COMMENTS:
     Fruit is poisonous; foliage and fruit are used as decoration.
 
 WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK INFORMATION:   No data entered
 
 REVEGETATION PLANTINGS:    No data entered
 
 
 REFERENCES:
Mohlenbrock, R. H., ed.  1975.  Guide to the vascular flora of Illinois.
     Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.  494 pp.
Steyermark, J. A.  1963.  Flora of Missouri.  Iowa State University Press, Ames.
     1725 pp.
Gleason, H. A., and A. Cronquist.  1963.  Manual of vascular plants of north-
     eastern United States and adjacent Canada.  Van Nostrand Reinhold Co.,
     New York.  810 pp.
Fernald, M. L.  1950.  Gray's manual of botany.  8th ed.  American Book Co.,
     New York.  1632 pp.
Downton, W. J. S.  1975.  The occurrence of C4 photosynthesis among plants.
     Photosynthetica 9(1): 96-105.
 
 END OF DATA FOR SPECIES  Ilex opaca
 
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 ILPIN was developed by Louis Iverson*, with data compiled by David Ketzner and Jeanne Karnes
 Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign, IL 61820
     *currently employed by USDA Forest Service, 359 Main Rd., Delaware, OH 43015