Ilex affinis

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several key regions of South America. In the western portion of the continent, it can be found specifically within Bolivia. Its presence is also extensively documented throughout various territories in Brazil. Within Brazil, it inhabits the North, Northeast, and Southeast regions. Furthermore, the species is distributed across the West-Central area of the country.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Ilex affinis is characterized by its preference for specific environmental conditions within its natural distribution. This species typically thrives in the habitat of bosque bajo (understory or low shrubland) situated on saturated soil, indicating a high tolerance for high moisture levels and potentially waterlogged substrates. Its altitudinal distribution is broad, spanning an elevational range that begins at 100 m AMSL and extends up to a maximum of 1500 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

1500 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

100 m AMSL

Habitat :

Bosque bajo on saturated soil

Life history

The life history of Ilex affinis is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish a stable presence in its habitat. Throughout its developmental stages, it maintains an evergreen habit, retaining its foliage year-round rather than undergoing a seasonal shedding of leaves.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Ilex affinis is characterized by a woody growth habit that allows it to function as both a shrub and a tree. This species exhibits significant structural variability in size, reaching a mean height of approximately 6 meters, though it can attain a maximum height of up to 12 meters. As a terrestrial plant, it is not aquatic nor an epiphyte, maintaining a self-supporting structure rather than acting as a climber. Furthermore, the plant grows as an independent organism, showing no parasitic tendencies.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

12 m

Plant height mean:

6 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Ilex affinis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle using the enzyme RuBisCO. This metabolic strategy indicates that the plant typically performs gas exchange and carbon assimilation under standard environmental conditions without the specialized carbon-concentrating mechanisms found in C4 or CAM species. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, relying instead on the uptake of nitrogenous compounds directly from the soil substrate.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Ilex affinis has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Journal of natural products

Preparations

Ilex affinis has 1 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include leaves.

Leaves

1. Journal of natural products