The World Flora Online

Arbres'ou'arbustes , glabres, rarement pubérulents.'Feuilles'persistantes, rarement caduques, généralement alternes, rarement opposées, pétiolées, simples, entières à parfois ± dentées; stipules très petites, triangulaires, souvent caduques.'Inflorescences'axillaires, solitaires ou ± fasciculées, 1- ∞-flores, cymeuses, ombelliformes, racémiformes ou paniculées; bractées et bractéoles petites.'Fleurs'petites, actinomorphes, ♂♀ par avortement, 4-6- à pleiomères, généralement isomères; calice petit, hypogyne, ± cupuliforme, à tube généralement très court; lobes à préfloraison imbriquée; corolle rotacée, généralement blanchâtre; pétales larges et arrondis au sommet, rarement étroitement lancéolés à linéaires, connés à la base, parfois libres, à préfloraison imbriquée ou parfois valvaire.'Fleurs'♂ à étamines alternipétales et généralement insérées sur le tube de la corolle; anthères introrses, à déhiscence longitudinale; gynécée réduit à un pistillode conique 1-loculaire.'Fleurs'♀ à staminodes ± semblables aux étamines mais a anthères stériles; ovaire supère, sessile, syncarpe, 4-∞-loculaire; stigmate sessile, capité ou discoïde; ovules 1(2) par loge, pendants et anatropes, 1-tégumentés.'Fruits'drupacés, rougeâtres, comques ou globuleux, généralement à 4-6 noyaux lisses, striés ou côtelés, durs.'Graines à albumen abondant et charnu; embryon très petit.\n\t\t\tTrois genres, principalement dans les régions tropicales et subtropicales d'Amérique et d'Asie; au Congo belge, 1 genre et 1 espèce.

Fruit drupaceous, of 3 or more 1-seeded pyrenes; seed with copious fleshy endosperm and small straight embryo Disk absent Ovary superior, 3- or more-celled; style terminal or absent; ovules 1–2 in each cell, pendulous from the apex Petals 4 or 5, free or connate at the base, hypogynous, imbricate Stamens hypogynous, 4 or 5, alternate with the petals, rarely more numerous, free; anthers 2-celled, opening lengthwise Flowers actinomorphic, hermaphrodite or unisexual, fasciculate or subumbellate or rarely solitary Calyx-lobes imbricate Trees or shrubs, mostly evergreen Leaves alternate, simple; stipules absent, or rarely present Disk absent Ovary superior, 3- or more-celled; style terminal or absent; ovules 1–2 in each cell, pendulous from the apex Petals 4 or 5, free or connate at the base, hypogynous, imbricate Stamens hypogynous, 4 or 5, alternate with the petals, rarely more numerous, free; anthers 2-celled, opening lengthwise Flowers actinomorphic, hermaphrodite or unisexual, fasciculate or subumbellate or rarely solitary Calyx-lobes imbricate Trees or shrubs, mostly evergreen Leaves alternate, simple; stipules absent, or rarely present

Leaves alternate, simple; stipules absent or very small Trees or shrubs, mostly evergreen Flowers frequently dioecious, actinomorphic, cymose, fasciculate, subumbellate or rarely solitary Petals free or connate at the base, imbricate or valvate Calyx-lobes imbricate Disk absent Stamens free, alternate with the corolla-lobes; anthers 2-thecous, opening lengthwise Fruit drupaceous Ovary superior, 3- or more-locular; style terminal or stigma sessile; ovules 1–2 in each loculus, pendulous from the apex Seeds with copious fleshy endosperm and small straight embryo Trees or shrubs, mostly evergreen Flowers frequently dioecious, actinomorphic, cymose, fasciculate, subumbellate or rarely solitary Petals free or connate at the base, imbricate or valvate Calyx-lobes imbricate Disk absent Stamens free, alternate with the corolla-lobes; anthers 2-thecous, opening lengthwise Fruit drupaceous Ovary superior, 3- or more-locular; style terminal or stigma sessile; ovules 1–2 in each loculus, pendulous from the apex Seeds with copious fleshy endosperm and small straight embryo

Fls unisexual or sometimes perfect, regular, hypogynous, 4–8-merous, mostly in axillary infls; pet imbricate, very shortly connate at base (Ilex) or distinct; stamens usually alternate with the pet, commonly adnate to the base of the cor in Ilex; nectary-disk wanting; ovary mostly 4–8-locular, with a single pendulous, apical-axile, apotropous ovule in each locule; style short or none; stigma lobed or capitate; fr a drupe with usually as many stones as carpels (or fewer by abortion); seeds with a very small, dicotyledonous embryo and abundant, oily endosperm; shrubs or trees with simple, mostly alternate lvs and minute or no stipules. 4 genera, all but about 20 spp. belonging to Ilex.

Trees or shrubs, evergreen or deciduous. Leaves alternate, rarely opposite; leaf blade leathery, papery, or membranous, margin entire, serrate, or spinose; stipules minute, persistent or caducous, scar callose; petiole present, rarely absent. Inflorescence a cyme usually of order 1, 2, or 3(-5), respectively composed of a maximum of 1, 3, or 7(-31) developed flowers, axillary, solitary on current year’s branchlets or fasciculate on second year’s branchlets. Plants dioecious. Flowers hypogynous, regular, small, unisexual, by stamens or ovary abortive, 4-6(-23)-merous; calyx persistent; corolla often white or cream, rarely green, yellow, pink, or red; petals imbricate, mostly connate at base up to half of their length. Male flowers: calyx 4-8-lobed; petals 4-8; stamens isomerous, alternating with petals, epipetalous; anthers oblong-ovoid, introrse, longitudinally dehiscent; rudimentary ovary subglobose or pulvinate, rostrate. Female flowers: calyx 4-8-lobed; petals 4-8; staminodes sagittate or cordate, isomerous, alternating with petals, epipetalous; ovary superior, ovoid, 4-8(-10)-loculed, rarely pubescent; style rarely developed; stigma capitate, discoid, or columnar. Fruit a drupe, red, brown, or black (or green in Ilex chapaensis), usually globose; exocarp membranous or papery; mesocarp fleshy. Pyrenes (1-)4-6(-23); endocarp smooth, leathery, woody, or stony, striate, striate-sulcate, or rugose, and/or pitted.

Male flowers with 4–5(–9) stamens, free or inserted at the base of the corolla-tube, alternating with the petals, hypogynous; anthers dithecous, opening by longitudinal slits; rudimentary ovary 1-locular Corolla rotate; petals 4–5(–9), free or joined at the base, imbricate or valvate; disk absent Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, simple; stipules minute or absent Trees or shrubs, mostly evergreen, usually practically glabrous Calyx-lobes 4–6(–9), imbricate Flowers regular, hermaphrodite or sexes separate, in cymes or fascicles, rarely solitary Female flowers: ovary superior, (2–)3(–22)-locular; ovules 1–2 in each locule, pendulous; style terminal or absent; stigma capitate or discoid; staminodes present but anthers sessile or on shorter filaments Fruit a drupe with (1–)2–6(–many) 1(–2)-seeded pyrenes Seeds with copious endosperm Corolla rotate; petals 4–5(–9), free or joined at the base, imbricate or valvate; disk absent Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, simple; stipules minute or absent Trees or shrubs, mostly evergreen, usually practically glabrous Calyx-lobes 4–6(–9), imbricate Flowers regular, hermaphrodite or sexes separate, in cymes or fascicles, rarely solitary Female flowers: ovary superior, (2–)3(–22)-locular; ovules 1–2 in each locule, pendulous; style terminal or absent; stigma capitate or discoid; staminodes present but anthers sessile or on shorter filaments Fruit a drupe with (1–)2–6(–many) 1(–2)-seeded pyrenes Seeds with copious endosperm