Holly
Holly Temporal range:
| |
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European holly (Ilex aquifolium) leaves and fruit | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Aquifoliales |
Family: | Aquifoliaceae DC. ex A.Rich. |
Genus: | Ilex L. |
Type species | |
Ilex aquifolium | |
Species | |
About 570, see text |
Ilex (
Description
The genus Ilex is divided into three subgenera:[6]
- Ilex subg. Byronia, with the type species Ilex polypyrena
- Ilex subg. Prinos, with 12 species
- Ilex subg. Ilex, with the rest of the species
The genus is widespread throughout the
The small
Etymology
Ilex in Latin means the holm-oak or evergreen oak (
[17]
The
Several Romance languages use the Latin word acrifolium, literally "sharp leaf" (turned into aquifolium in modern time), so Italian agrifoglio, Occitan grefuèlh, etc. [21]
History
The phylogeography of this group provides examples of various speciation mechanisms at work. In this scenario ancestors of this group became isolated from the remaining Ilex when the Earth mass broke away into Gondwana and Laurasia about 82 million years ago, resulting in a physical separation of the groups and beginning a process of change to adapt to new conditions. This mechanism is called allopatric speciation. Over time, survivor species of the holly genus adapted to different ecological niches. This led to reproductive isolation, an example of ecological speciation. In the Pliocene, around five million years ago, mountain formation diversified the landscape and provided new opportunities for speciation within the genus.
The
Selected species
- Ilex ambigua
- Ilex amelanchier
- Ilex anomala
- Ilex aquifolium – European holly, English holly, Christ's thorn (western and southern Europe, northwest Africa, and southwest Asia)
- Ilex canariensis (Macaronesian islands)
- Ilex cassine – dahoon holly, cassena (Virginia to southeast Texas of US, Veracruz of Mexico, Bahamas, Cuba, and Puerto Rico)
- Ilex coriacea – gallberry (Virginia to Texas of United States)
- Chinese holly, horned holly (eastern China and Korea)
- Japanese) (eastern China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Sakhalin)
- Ilex decidua Walter – possumhaw (eastern United States, northeastern Mexico)
- extinct: 20th century?) (India)
- Ilex glabra L. A.Gray – evergreen winterberry, bitter gallberry, inkberry (eastern North America)
- Ilex guayusa (Amazon rainforest)
- Ilex integra – mochi tree, Nepal holly (Korea; Taiwan; the mid-southern regions of China; and Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu in Japan)
- Ilex kaushue (China)
- Ilex khasiana (India)
- Ilex latifolia – tarajo holly, tarayō (Japanese) (southern Japan and eastern and southern China )
- Ilex mitis (southern Africa)
- Ilex montana Torrey & A.Gray – mountain winterberry (Eastern United States)
- Ilex mucronata (L.) M.Powell, Savol., & S.Andrews – mountain holly, catberry (Eastern North America)
- Ilex opaca – American holly (Eastern United States)
- Ilex paraguariensis– yerba mate (mate, erva-mate)
- Ilex pedunculosa – longstalked holly
- Ilex perado – Macaronesian holly
- Ilex quercetorum (Mexico and Guatemala)
- Ilex rotunda
- Ilex rugosa – Tsuru Holly (mountains of Japan, Sakhalin, Khabarovsk Krai and Kuril Islands Siberia)
- Japanese winterberry
- Ilex verticillata (L.) A.Gray American winterberry (Eastern North America)
- Ilex vomitoria – yaupon holly (southeastern United States)
Range
The genus is distributed throughout the world's different climates. Most species make their home in the
In Europe the genus is represented by a single species, the classically named holly to islands and small mountain ranges, and being highly useful plants, many hollies are now becoming rare.
Ecology
Often the
They are an extremely important food for numerous species of birds, and also are eaten by other wild animals. In the autumn and early winter the fruits are hard and apparently unpalatable. After being frozen or frosted several times, the fruits soften, and become milder in taste. During winter
Toxicity
Holly can contain
Holly berries can cause vomiting and diarrhea. They are especially dangerous in cases involving accidental consumption by children attracted to the bright red berries.[32] Ingestion of over 20 berries may be fatal to children.[31][32]
Holly leaves, if eaten, might cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and stomach and intestinal problems.[32]
Holly plants might be toxic to pets and livestock.[33]
Uses
Culinary use
Leaves of some holly species are used by some cultures to make daily tea. These species are
Holly berries are fermented and distilled to produce an eau de vie.[35][36]
Ornamental use
Many of the holly species are widely used as ornamental plants in temperate/European gardens and parks, notably:
- I. aquifolium (common European holly)
- I. crenata (box-leaved holly)
- I. verticillata (winterberry)[37]
Hollies are often used for
Culture
Holly – more specifically the European holly, Ilex aquifolium – is commonly referenced at
Christians have identified a wealth of symbolism in its form. The sharpness of the leaves help to recall the
salvation; and the shape of the leaves, which resemble flames, can serve to reveal God's burning love for His people. Combined with the fact that holly maintains its bright colors during the Christmas season, it naturally came to be associated with the Christian holiday.[45]
In heraldry, holly is used to symbolize truth. The Norwegian municipality of Stord has a yellow twig of holly in its Coat-of-arms.[citation needed]
The
In the
In some traditions of
In the Irish language, the words mac cuilinn mean 'son of holly'. Common anglicized forms of this arose; last names such as McCullen, McCullion, McQuillan, and MacCullion, which are quite common surnames in some areas.[citation needed]
Gallery
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A contorted hedgehog holly Ilex aquifolium 'Ferox'
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Ilex pernyi from west China
References
- ^ "Aquifoliales". www.mobot.org. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ a b "Index Nominum Genericorum". Smithsonian Institution. 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
- ^ Sunset Western Garden Book. 1995. pp. 606–07.
- ^ "Ilex Tourn. ex L." Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
- PMID 27378489.
- ^ "The Plant List: Ilex". Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and Missouri Botanic Garden. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
- S2CID 232421827.
- ^ "Kew Plants and Fungi". 11 April 2012. Archived from the original on 3 May 2012.
- ^ "Noxious Weed Control Board (NWCB) – WA State – Weed Detail Page". wa.gov. Archived from the original on 26 July 2015.
- ^ "English Holly". Invasive Species Week. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015.
- ^ "Cal-IPC: Ilex aquifolium". cal-ipc.org. Archived from the original on 5 June 2008.
- ^ "Portland Plant List". City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. Archived from the original on 29 August 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- ISBN 978-0199206872.
- ^ Abbe, Elfriede Martha (1965). The plants of Virgil's Georgics. Cornell University Press. p. 88.
- ^ Middle English Holin, later Hollen. Skeat, Walter William (1887). Principles of English etymology, Volume 1. London, U.K.: Clarendon Press. p. 371.
- ISBN 0-19-283098-8), p. 218b.
- ^
Skeat, Walter William (2005). A Concise Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. Cosimo, Inc. p. 244. ISBN 978-1-59605-092-1.
- ^ "HOUX : Etymologie de HOUX". cnrtl.fr.
- ^ Pick, Edward (1869). An etymological dictionary of the French language. Murray. p. 106.
- ^ Skeat, Walter William (1882). An etymological dictionary of the English language. Clarendon Press. p. 269.
- ^ Nettleship, Henry (1889). Contributions to Latin lexicography. Clarendon Press. p. 27.
- ^ "Aquifoliales". www.mobot.org. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ISBN 978-87-7304-304-2. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
- S2CID 213027259.
- ^ "Ilex mucronata". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
- ^ Species PPP-index
- ^ Powell, M., Savolainen, V., Cuénoud, P., Manen, J. F., & Andrews, S. (2000). The mountain holly (Nemopanthus mucronatus: Aquifoliaceae) revisited with molecular data. Kew Bulletin 55: 341–347.
- S2CID 6484345.
- International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources(IUCN) (2007): 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Ilex]
- .
- ^ a b "Toxicity of Holly". Retrieved 3 March 2014.
- ^ a b c "Holly". webmd.com. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
- ^ "American Holly". aspca. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
- ^ Austin, Daniel F. (2004). Florida Ethnobotany. CRC Press. p. 363.
- ^ Prial, Frank J. (18 February 1979). "Fruits of the Distiller's Art". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
- ^ Virbila, S. Irene (22 April 1990). "Eau-de-Vie, the Spirit of Alsace". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
- ISBN 978-1405332965.
- ^ Northumbria Police: Security starts at the Garden Gate
- ISBN 0-333-47494-5.
- ^ "Ilex × meserveae Blue Princess = 'Conapri'". RHS. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
- ^ "RHS Plantfinder – Ilex × meserveae Blue Prince = 'Conablu'". Retrieved 9 March 2018.
- ^ "AGM Plants – Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 52. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
- ^ Bailes, Christopher (December 2022). "Plant profile: Hollies". The Garden. 147 (12): 40–45.
- ^ Sanford Niles, ed. (1895). Christmas History and Customs. School Education Company. p. 24.
In Germany and Scandinavia the holly, or holy tree, is called "Christ's thorn," from its use in church decorations, and because it bears berries at Christmas-tide.
- ^ ISBN 9781607910084.
- ISBN 9789251048559.
Holly is still a popular Christmas decoration among Christian cultures.
- ISBN 9781448148936.
The British native holly (Ilex aquifolim) has tremendous religious significance at Christmas. Its prickly leave are evocative of the crown of thorns that was placed on Jesus Christ's head at His crucifixion, and its scarlet berries are synonymous with drops of His blood.
- ISBN 978-0-590-35340-3.
External links
- Eichhorn, Markus (March 2011). "The Holly Tree". Test Tube. Brady Haran for the University of Nottingham.
- Aquifoliaceae in BoDD – Botanical Dermatology Database