New York Metropolitan Flora

Genus: Ilex

Ilex opaca
Ilex opaca

By Steven D. Glenn

Not peer reviewed

Last Modified 02/07/2013

Back to Aquifoliaceae

Nomenclature

Ilex L., Sp. Pl. 1: 125. 1753. Gen. Pl., ed. 5, 60. 1754. Aquifolium Mill., Gard. Dict. Abr. ed. 4. 1754 (also spelled “Agrifolium”), nom. illeg. (Art. 52.1). Polystigma Meisn., Pl. Vasc. Gen. 1: 252. 1839, nom. illeg. (Art. 52.1). LECTOTYPE: Ilex aquifolium L. designated by Britton & Brown (1913).

Prinos L., Sp. pl. 330. 1753. LECTOTYPE: Prinos verticillatus L. (=Ilex verticillata), designated by Rafinesque (1838).

Macoucoua Aubl., Hist. Pl. Guiane 2(Suppl.): 88. 1775. Ageria Raf., Sylva Tell. 46. 1838, nom. illeg. (Art. 52.1). TYPE: Macoucoua guianensis Aubl. (Ilex guianensis (Aubl.) Kuntze)

Ennepta Raf., Sylva Tellur. 52. 1838. TYPE: Ennepta myricoides Raf., nom. illeg. (Ilex glabra (L.) A. Gray).

Winterlia Moench, Methodus (Moench) 74. 1794. TYPE: Winterlia triflora Moench

Key to the species of Ilex

1. Leaves evergreen...2
1. Leaves deciduous...4

2. Leaves with a spiny margin...Ilex opaca
2. Leaves without a spiny margin...3

3. Leaves with few obtuse teeth near apex or entire; flowers 5-8-merous...Ilex glabra
3. Leaves serrate or crenate, very rarely with only a few teeth near apex; flowers 4-merous...Ilex crenata

4. Sepals entire, even at maturity of the fruit...Ilex laevigata
4. Sepals ciliate, even at maturity of the fruit...5

5. Petals entire or minutely erose; nutlets smooth on back...Ilex verticillata
5. Petals ciliate; nutlets grooved on back...Ilex montana

List of Ilex Species

Ilex crenata Ilex glabra Ilex laevigata Ilex montana Ilex opaca Ilex verticillata

References to Ilex

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