Chinese holly

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Horned Holly

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Ilex cornuta var. fortunei
• Ilex fortunei f. aureovariegata
• Ilex furcata
• Ilex cornuta f. gaetana
• Ilex fortunei

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and order Aquifoliales, it is positioned in the family Aquifoliaceae. Finally, it is identified under the genus Ilex.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is widely distributed across several specific regions within East Asia. In China, its presence is noted in the South-Central and North-Central territories. It can also be found growing in the Southeast regions of China as well as on the island of Hainan. Beyond mainland China, the species extends its range into the neighboring country of Korea. Together, these locations define the primary geographical footprint of Ilex cornuta.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Ilex cornuta is characterized by its nature as a perennial species, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish a stable presence within its ecological niche. As an evergreen plant, it maintains its foliage year-round, providing continuous photosynthetic activity and structural density regardless of the seasonal shifts that would cause deciduous species to shed their leaves.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Ilex cornuta is characterized by a woody growth form, specifically manifesting as a shrub. This plant is a terrestrial species, meaning it does not exhibit aquatic or epiphytic tendencies. In terms of its structural development, it is a self-supporting organism rather than a climber, liana, or vine, and it functions as an independent species without parasitic behavior. The plant typically reaches a mean height of approximately 2.4 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

2.4 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Ilex cornuta is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which facilitates carbon fixation through the standard Calvin cycle typical of many temperate woody species. Its vegetative morphology features oblong leaf forms that are structurally reinforced with spines, though the plant lacks true leaf thorns. The leaf margins are distinctively toothed, contributing to the overall architectural complexity of the foliage while supporting its metabolic processes.

Leaf form :

oblong

Leaf margin :

toothed

Leaf spines :

yes

Leaf thorns :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Ilex cornuta is characterized by the production of specialized fruit and seed structures designed for efficient propagation. The plant produces fruits classified as a drupe, which are indehiscent in nature, meaning they do not split open at maturity to release their contents. These fruits possess an average width of 0.98 cm. Within these fruits, the seeds exhibit a highly specific mass profile; the mean seed mass is recorded at 0.01846 g, with both the maximum and minimum recorded values reaching 0.02229 g, indicating a very tight range in seed size. The dispersal of these reproductive units follows a zoochorous syndrome, meaning the seeds and fruits are dispersed by animals, which facilitates the spread of the species across its habitat.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Fruit type :

drupe

Fruit width mean:

0.98 cm

Seed mass max:

0.02229 g

Seed mass mean:

0.01846 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Ilex cornuta has 4 reported plant parts identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root, fruit, stem.

Leaf

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology

Root

1. Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology
2. Current medical science

Fruit

1. Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology

Stem

1. Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology

Chemicals

Ilex cornuta has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, triterpenoids, Glycosides.

Flavonoids

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

triterpenoids

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Glycosides

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Conditions

Ilex cornuta has 4 reported investigations on conditions identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Magnaporthe grisea, hyperuricemia, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity.

Magnaporthe grisea

1. Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology

Hyperuricemia

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Obesity

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Ilex cornuta has 4 reported preparations identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include "Kuding tea", EtOAc extract of the culture filtrate of the endophytic fungus Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae LPS-1, dried leaves, roots.

"kuding tea"

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Etoac extract of the culture filtrate of the endophytic fungus lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae lps-1

1. Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology

Dried leaves

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Roots

1. Current medical science