ilex

i·lex

I0031000 (ī′lĕks′)n.1. See holly.2. See holm oak.

[Middle English, holm oak, from Latin īlex.]

ilex

(ˈaɪlɛks) n1. (Plants) any of various trees or shrubs of the widely distributed genus Ilex, such as the holly and inkberry: family Aquifoliaceae2. (Plants) another name for the holm oak[C16: from Latin]

holm′ oak`

n. an evergreen oak, Quercus ilex, of E Europe, having foliage resembling that of the holly. [1590–1600]

Thesaurus

Noun

Ilex - a large genus of dicotyledonous trees and shrubs of the family Aquifoliaceae that have small flowers and berries (including hollies)genus Ilexdicot genus, magnoliopsid genus - genus of flowering plants having two cotyledons (embryonic leaves) in the seed which usually appear at germinationAquifoliaceae, family Aquifoliaceae, holly family - widely distributed shrubs and treesholly - any tree or shrub of the genus Ilex having red berries and shiny evergreen leaves with prickly edgesChinese holly, Ilex cornuta - dense rounded evergreen shrub of China having spiny leaves; widely cultivated as an ornamental

Translations

houx

ilex

enUK

ilex

1. any of various trees or shrubs of the widely distributed genus Ilex, such as the holly and inkberry: family Aquifoliaceae 2. another name for the holm oak

Ilex

(holly), a genus of plants of the family Aquifoliaceae. The trees or shrubs are evergreen or, sometimes, deciduous. The generally coriaceous leaves are spinose, toothed, crenate, serrate, or entire. The flowers are usually unisexual and four-parted; they are solitary or in few-flowered axillary inflorescences. The fruit is a drupe.

There are more than 400 species of holly, distributed in the tropics and subtropics. Some species are encountered in the temperate zones of both hemispheres. Six species, including I. col-chica and the Japanese holly (I. crenata), are grown in the USSR in the Far East and the Caucasus. Nine species, including the English holly (I. aquifolium), have been introduced to the USSR. The leaves of the Paraguay tea (I. paraguensis) are used to make the drink maté.

Hollies are cultivated for decorative purposes. They tolerate cutting well and are sometimes made into hedges.

REFERENCES

Flora SSSR, vol. 14. Moscow-Leningrad, 1949.
Derev’ia i kustarniki SSSR, vol. 4. Moscow-Leningrad, 1958.
Hume, H. H. Hollies. New York, 1953.

Acronym

Definition

ILEX➣Institute of Legal Executives

ILEX➣International Legal Exchange Program

Ilex

Related to Ilex: Ilex paraguariensis

noun

Synonyms for Ilex

noun a large genus of dicotyledonous trees and shrubs of the family Aquifoliaceae that have small flowers and berries (including hollies)

Synonyms

genus Ilex

Related Words

dicot genus
magnoliopsid genus
Aquifoliaceae
family Aquifoliaceae
holly family
holly
Chinese holly
Ilex cornuta