Ilex ambigua

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Campanulids
Ordo: Aquifoliales

Familia: Aquifoliaceae
Genus: Ilex
Species: Ilex ambigua
Name

Ilex ambigua (Michx.) Torr., 1843
Synonyms

Cassine caroliniana Walter
Ilex ambigua f. channellii Edwin
Ilex ambigua f. mollis (A. Gray) C.F. Reed
Ilex beadlei Ashe
Ilex buswellii Small
Ilex buswellii f. channellii (Edwin) T.R. Dudley
Ilex caroliniana (Walter) Trel.
Ilex dubia Britton, Stern & Pogg.
Ilex mollis A. Gray
Ilex montana var. beadlei (Ashe) Fernald
Ilex montana var. mollis (A. Gray) Britton
Nemopanthus ambiguus (Michx.) Wood
Prinos ambiguus Michx.
Prinos dubius G.Don
Synstima acuminata Rafin.
Synstima ambigua (Michx.) Rafin. ex S. Wats.
Synstima caroliniana Rafin.

Distribution
Native distribution areas:
Ilex ambigua

Continental: Northern America
Regional:Southeastern USA
USA (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia)

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References

Torrey, J., 1843. Flora of the State of New York 2:2. "ambiguus"

Links

International Plant Names Index. 2018. Ilex ambigua. Published online. Accessed: Oct. 25 2018.
Hassler, M. 2018. Ilex ambigua. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2018. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published online. Accessed: 2018 Oct. 25. Reference page.
The Plant List 2013. Ilex ambigua in The Plant List Version 1.1. Published online. Accessed: 2018 Oct. 25.
Tropicos.org 2018. Ilex ambigua. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 25 Oct. 2018.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Ilex ambigua in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 08-Apr-12.

Vernacular names
English: Sand holly or Carolina holly

Ilex ambigua is a species of flowering plant in the holly family known by the common names Carolina holly and sand holly. It is native to the southeastern and south-central United States, along the coastal plain from North Carolina to Texas, inland as far as Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee.[3][4]
Description

Ilex ambigua is a large shrub or small tree up to 6 metres (20 ft) tall. The branches are covered in shiny dark brown or black bark which becomes flaky with age.[3] The twigs are purple.[5] Some branches have a thick coat of fine hairs. The leaves are up to 18 centimeters (7.2 inches) long by 7 cm (2.8 inches) wide.[3] The leaf margins are partially or entirely toothed or wavy.[5]

The species is dioecious, with male and female reproductive parts occurring on separate individuals. The fruit is a spherical red drupe. The seeds are dispersed by animals, which eat the fruits.[3]

Habitat

Ilex ambigua, grows in many types of sandy habitat, such as sand scrub and hammocks and hardwood forests and woodlands. It may grow with pines such as loblolly, slash, and shortleaf pine, and oak species. It sometimes grows with its relative, American holly.[3]

forms and varieties[2]

Ilex ambigua f. ambigua
Ilex ambigua var. ambigua
Ilex ambigua f. mollis (A. Gray) H.E. Ahles
Ilex ambigua var. monticola (A. Gray) Wunderlin & Poppleton

References

Stritch, L. (2018). "Ilex ambigua". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T122927323A122927579. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T122927323A122927579.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
The Plant List, Ilex ambigua (Michx.) Torr.
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Ilex ambigua. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory.
Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
Ilex ambigua. The Nature Conservancy.