Om Prakash Sharma Vidyarthi
Holly tree often seen associated with Christmas decorations and greeting cards since mediaeval times infact alluded to Holly oak Quercus ilex (Eeru or Heeru of Dogras) in the traditional sense, but later this title got associated with similar looking European Holly tree under separate Genus Ilex that means spiny like Eeru or Heeru banj of Kishtwar.
During Christmas celebrations, evergreen Holly trees are laden with beautiful scarlet red fruits and therefore got special status for Christmas celebrations during snow clad winter season. Only Genus Ilex in Holly family Aquifoliaceae, word derived from acrifolium that connotes spiny leaves, later word got modified to aquifolium that bears spiny leaves like Eeru, Ilex oak.
Temperate hills of J&K has similar evergreen Holly tree with spiny leaves that bears red drupes and is identified as Ilex dipyrena often named by locals as Battreenh (बट्रींह) in Pahadi language.
During Botanical trip to Sukrala Machhedi hills, I happened to spot this lesser known Holly tree with spineless leaves that looked like Scented Brush Holly tree Xylosma longifolium called Chiundi or Batta in Dogri but closer examination of twigs segregated tree identity as Ilex excelsa with graceful look, leaves deep green, flowers tiny white, tree with separate male & female trees, so fruit formation quite rare, no fruits could be seen despite several visits to the area of its occurence near Sukrala Mata mandir in Billawar forest Division.
Ilex excelsa, Graceful Holly as it is named in English has local Dogri name as Poli. That name in Kandi belt is however used for spiny thistle bush Carthamus oxycantha kind of wild Safflower that is used for edible oil extraction.
In Hindi, Ilex excelsa is named as Tumri but same name is used for another similar tree Pittosporum as well.
Local names are significant in local context but for universal standard discourse scientific binomial names are more authentic that have no ambiguity and pin point exact evolutionary position of tree.
So, Ilex excelsa got its familiarity from forgotten past after a gap of 64 years when it was rediscovered in Billawar hills and scientific paper got published in scientific journal of Natural History this holy month of Sawan dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva who is custodian of Biodiversity. In fact, name Shivalik means Hair tresses of Lord Shiva.
Tree discovery from Shivalik range of Billawar gets befitting limelight for its unique Biodiversity. Many trees are unique to Billawar and Graceful Holly Ilex excelsya is another addition to rare trees of Billawar.
Ilex excelsa, Graceful Holly is 6-8 meter tall tree with greyish green bark, dark elliptic leaves arranged in alternate fashion, male & female flowering trees stand apart, fruits on maturity turn brilliant red that are eaten by birds & wild animals.
Only six – seven trees could be counted along hill streams in Chir pine forest dominated by Pinus roxburghii, Pyrus pashia, Maesa indica, Ficus racemosa, Terminalia bellerica & Mallotus philippensis.
The tree is heavily lipped for fodder and fruit seed availability is jeopardized. So, need for vegetative propagation through stem cuttings is viable option to begin with.
As the tree is rare to Jammu Shivaliks, it is desired to have its inclusion in forest plant nurseries and widespread tree planting in floricultural parks & gardens to popularise natural heritage and habitat, remove tree blindness from younger minds, help in the tree’s ex-situ conservation and preservation of Biodiversity.
