Ilex montana - (image 1 of 2)
Taxonomy
Family: Aquifoliaceae
Habitat
Mountains, obviously. Wooded slopes.
Associates
I found this growing with Abies balsamea, Betula alleghaniensis, Fagus grandifolia, Sorbus decora, and Tsuga canadensis.
Distribution
Limited to the east from MA and NY south to TN, GA, and AL.
Morphology
Small or medium tree, occasionally to 30' but usually smaller. Leaves deciduous, alternate, elliptical, to 2-6" long. Flowers white, in 4 parts, dioecious. Fruits red, smooth, very round, to 1/2" in diameter, usually not persisting into winter. Young bark smooth, gray with raised lenticels, becoming dark gray and very rough with age.
Notes
Flowers late spring
Wetland indicator: Upland
I had passed this species several times while hiking at high elevation in the Catskill mountains. I may have taken more than the two pictures if I had known what it was at the time. Fall color can be a streaky pale yellow, nothing spectacular. Another shrub commonly called Mountain Holly, Nemopanthus mucronatus (Ilex mucronata), is an obligate plant of moist places in bogs, pine barrens.
References
Dirr, Michael A. 1998. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants:
Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses.
5th ed. Champaign, Illinois: Stipes Publishing L.L.C.
Raynal, Dudley J. and D . J. Leopold. 1999. Landowner's Guide to State-Protected Plants of Forests in New York State.
SUNY ESF. Syracuse, NY
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Michael Hough © 2005 |