AQUIFOLIACEAE

Ilex decidua

Common Names: Possumhaw, Deciduous Holly, Winterberry, Bearberry Holly

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ilex.decidua.frt.jpg (44876 bytes) Ilex decidua leaves4.jpg (45392 bytes)
leaves and fruits--notice the obovate leaves (meaning that they taper to a point at leaf base and are wider at the apical end) leaves--do you see how the leaves appear thinner than those of Ilex vomitoria?

Ilex decidua maleflowers.jpg (45563 bytes)

male flowers in early Spring (Ilex is dioecious, so this is a male tree)

female flowers in Spring--notice the young fruits beginning to develop.  Do you see the stamens?  Even though this species is dioecious, nonfunctioning stamens are still present (and actually, sometimes these stamens do produce pollen, so Ilex decidua is not strictly dioecious).

Which of these leaves belong to Ilex vomitoria, and which ones belong to Ilex decidua? (answer below) fruit closeup--do you think this fruit developed from an inferior or a superior ovary?

Ilex decidua fruits.jpg (71303 bytes)

Ilex decidua bark2.jpg (63738 bytes)
habit in Winter--Ilex decidua trees are easy to identify without their  leaves! bark--like other hollies, possumhaw has more or less smooth bark
Ilex decidua fruits closeup.jpg (47324 bytes) กก
fruits in Winter กก

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Ilex vomitoria leaves are those that are elliptical in shape, and Ilex decidua leaves are obovate.