Holly

Description

Overall view of a holly tree in the forest.

Holly (Ilex spp.) contains over 350 species that grow in North America, Europe, tropical Africa, and Australia, with the rest in China and Brazil. It is a genus with a wide distribution, and all species are identical at the cellular level. The US species grow from Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York, southwest to Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri and Oklahoma, south to Texas and east to Florida. Holly trees reach heights of 50 ft with diameters of 2 ft. The bark is smooth (w/some warty like processes) and thick. Holly sapwood and heartwood is a pure ivory white but may have a bluish cast or darker streaks. The wood is hard, heavy, tough and close grained with a low luster. Holly is not easy to work, but takes a high polish and can be stained successfully. It is used in brush backs, carvings, engravings, fixtures, furniture (inlay), handles, keys for musical instruments (ebonized), novelties, scientific instruments, scrollwork and turnery.

Tech Sheet

https://research.fs.usda.gov/silvics/american-holly

Characteristics

Holly leaves and berries on small branches.

Characteristics found in the Holly (Ilex sp.):

  • Diffuse porous
  • Spirals in vessels, coarse
  • Scalariform perforations
  • I/V pits minute (2-3)
  • Rays 1-4 seriate & heterocellular

Slides (Click on each image to view a larger image)

WOOD SLIDES

Microscope slide on the transverse section of holly. Arrows identify the growth ring boundary, vessels, and rays.
Microscope slide of transverse section of holly. Arrows point to the vessels, rays, growth ring boundary, and fibers.
Microscope slide of tangential section of holly. Arrows point to the ray, inter-vessel pitting, spirals within the vessels, and scalariform perforation plate.
Microscope slide of radial section of holly. Arrows point to hetero cellular ray types.
Microscope slide of radial section of holly at higher magnification. Arrows point to the upright and procumbent ray cells.
Microscope slide of tangential section of holly. Arrows point to the rays and spirals.
Microscope slide of tangential section of holly at higher magnification. Arrows point to the ray and spirals.

CHARCOAL SLIDES

Microscope slide of transverse section of holly charcoal. Arrows identify the growth ring boundaries.
Microscope slide of transverse section of holly charcoal at higher magnification. Arrows point to the growth ring boundary and raise.
Microscope slide of radial section of holly charcoal. Arrows point to spirals, and raise.
Microscope slide of radial section of holly charcoal at higher magnification. Arrows point to spirals.
Microscope slide of tangential section of holly charcoal. Arrows point to the spirals and rays.