| Classification |
| Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order Type: Eudicots-Asterids II
Order: Aquifoliales
Family: Aquifoliaceae
Family common Name: Holly Family
Genus: Ilex |
Defining Features: Ilex genus
lacks nectiferous disk.
Defining Morphology: Floral
Features: Inflorescences are determinate, axillary in cymes (mostly subumbellate)
and sometimes reduced to a solitary flower. Flowers are small, actinomorphic,
unisexual and rarely bisexual (plants dioecious). Ovaries are superior
with axile placentation, becoming free-central placentation. Fruit and
Seed Features: Dicotyledon. Fruits are often dry, colorful, broadly bottle-shaped
drupe. Seeds are very small, hard and numerous. Endosperm abundant. Vegetative
Features: Habit as evergreen deciduous, shrubs (climbers) or small trees.
Leaves are often spiny or toothed, simple, opposite or alternate sometimes
appearing whorled. Usually there are small cork-warts on lower surface
of lamina. Stipules are lacking or small and blackish.
Distribution: Cosmopolitan
with few in Africa and Australia.
Economic Use: As ornamental
'holly' and for hard white wood and South American tea - yerba maté
(Ilex paraguensis).
Number of Genera Globally: 1
Number of Species Globally: 400
