Holly

Holly (Ilex) 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.

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/TechSheets/HardwoodNA/pdf_files/ilexeng.pdf.

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

WOOD SLIDES
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CHARCOAL SLIDES