Contains 16 accepted taxa overall.
Characteristics
Classification
Citation
ILEX Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 125. 1753.
-
TYPE: Ilex aquifolium Linnaeus Lectotypified by Britton & A. Brown, Ill. Fl. N. U.S., ed. 2. 2: 486. 1913.
Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Herbarium Specimens | Status | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ilex ambigua | Carolina Holly | |||
| Ilex amelanchier | Sarvis Holly | |||
| Ilex cassine | Dahoon, Cassena | |||
| Ilex coriacea | Big Gallberry, Sweet Gallberry | |||
| Ilex cornuta | Chinese Holly, Burford Holly | |||
| Ilex crenata | Japanese Holly | |||
| Ilex cuthbertii | Cuthbert Holly | |||
| Ilex decidua | Possum-haw | |||
| Ilex glabra | Little Gallberry, Inkberry | |||
| Ilex laevigata | Smooth Winterberry | |||
| Ilex longipes | Georgia Holly, Chapman's Holly | |||
| Ilex montana | Mountain Holly | |||
| Ilex myrtifolia | Myrtle Holly | |||
| Ilex opaca | American Holly, Christmas Holly | |||
| Ilex verticillata | Winterberry | |||
| Ilex vomitoria | Yaupon |
Identification Key
1. Leaf blade apex with a rigid prickle 1 mm long or longer, the margins entire or spinose like the leaf apex
2
1. Leaf blade apex unarmed, bristle-tipped, or with a prickle less than 1 mm long, the margins entire, crenate, dentate, serrate, to spinulose-serrate
4
2. Inflorescence sessile, many-flowered, on older part of branch
2. Flower singular or in many-flowered, pedunculate inflorescence, on recent growth
3
3. Leaf blades light green, 1--2.5 cm wide, the margin distinctly revolute
3. Leaf blades dark green, mostly 2.5--5.5 cm wide, the margin flat or only slightly revolute
4. Leaf blade entire or with few, sparse teeth mostly above the middle
5
4. Leaf blade crenate, dentate, or serrate at or below the middle and towards the apex
10
5. Leaf blade margin crenate-serrulate above the middle (rarely entire), the midvein often evanescent near or just above the middle
5. Leaf blade with the margin spinulose-serrate, denticulate, or entire, the midvein conspicuous above the middle, evanescent only at the apex
6
6. Leaf blade upper side not lustrous, the underside with prominent, conspicuous secondary (and often reticulate) venation
6. Leaf blade upper side lustrous, underside with obscure secondary venation
7
7. Leaf blade with minute black punctations on the lower surface; fruit dark red to purple-black
7. Leaf blade without minute black punctations on the lower surface; fruit yellow to red
8
8. Leaf blade tip usually acuminate, rounded at the base; inflorescence sessile
8. Leaf blade tip acute to obtuse, the base cuneate; inflorescence pedunculate
9
9. Leaves more than 1 cm wide; branchlets short-pilose or occasionally glabrous; secondary branches at an angle of less that 45̊ from main branch
9. Leaves less than 1 cm wide; branchlets minutely strigose-puberulent; secondary branches at an angle greater than 45̊ from the main branch
10. Leaf blade margin mostly crenate
11
10. Leaf blade margin mostly dentate to serrate, or teeth mucronulate
13
11. Leaves evergreen, coriaceous, with a subtruncate base; without spur branches
11. Leaves deciduous, subcoriaceous, with a narrow cuneate base; often with spur branches
12
12. Leaf blades 0.4-0.9 cm wide
12. Leaf blades 1-2.5 cm wide
13. Pedicels 10-23 mm long; calyx lobes 4; pyrene with a hard, ribbed endocarp
13. Pedicels 2-8 mm long; calyx lobes 5-8; pyrene with a soft, smooth or hard, ribbed endocarp
14
14. Leaf blade margin mostly finely serrate; pyrene with a soft, smooth endocarp; of hydric to mesic-hydric areas
14. Leaf blade margin more coarsely serrate; pyrene with a hard, ribbed endocarp; of xeric to mesic-xeric areas
15
15. Larger leaves 2-4(5) cm long
15. Larger leaves (5)6-10 cm long
Genus Synonyms
| Synonym | Full Citation | Basionym | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| No synonyms found. | |||