FoI
Himalayan Holly
Share Foto info
Himalayan Holly
ative Photo: Thingnam Girija
Common name: Himalayan Holly • Nepali: सेतो खस्रु Seto Khasru, लेक चोत्र Lek Chotra, राज Raaj, कलिसो Kaliso, लिसो Liso
Botanical name: Ilex dipyrena    Family: Aquifoliaceae (Holly family)
Synonyms: Ilex dentonii

Himalayan Holly is a moderate-sized evergreen tree with light gray smooth bark, and with dark glossy green, very leathery, elliptic leaves with strong thorny teeth on the margins. Flowers are greenish-white, about 6 mm across, in small rounded stalkless clusters in leaf axils, about 1 cm. Flowers have 4 obovate petals. Leaves are 5-10 cm long, paler beneath, spineless on older trees. Fruit is red when ripe, spherical, 6 mm across. The fruits are ripe in December, and the holly-like spiny and tough leaves with attractive red berries are often sold as Christmas decorations. Himalayan Holly is found in the Himalayas, from Pakistan to SW China, at altitudes of 1500-3000 m. Flowering: April-July.

Identification credit: Tabish Photographed in Dhanaulti & Chakrata, Uttarakhand.

• Is this flower misidentified? If yes,