Ilex krugiana

Ilex krugiana Loes.

Common Names: Krug’s Holly, Tawn Berry Holly

Family: Aquifoliaceae

Habit: Ilex krugiana grows as a large shrub to small tree up to 12 m in height with a trunk up to 2 m in diameter (usually less than 30 cm) with smooth gray/white bark. The leaves are arranged alternately, up 12 cm in length, obovate to elliptic, with an entire (sometimes slightly toothed) leaf margin and an acute/acuminate leaf apex. The leaves are shiny green at maturity.

Ilex krugiana is dioecious. The flowers occur in clusters along the stem from leaf axils.  The calyx has 4 greenish unfused sepals.  The corolla has 4 white unfused petals.  The staminate flowers have 4 stamens and a nonfunctional carpel. The carpellate flowers have 4 nonfunctional stamens and the ovary is superior with 4 locules.  The fruit is a drupe or few seeded berry that is red to purple at maturity.

Habitat: Ilex krugiana grows in Pine Woodlands and Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formations – Woodland/Shrublands (Scrublands) often near wetlands.

Distribution: Ilex krugiana is found on the northern pine islands in the Lucayan Archipelago as well as Florida, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Ilex krugiana has no known medicinal uses in the Bahamas.

lex krugiana has been occasionally used in the landscape/horticulture industry.