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Useful Tropical Plants

Ilex laurina

Kunth

Aquifoliaceae


Reports that this species is found in the Guayanas are erroneous and refer to Ilex daphnogenea Reissek

+ Synonyms

Ilex caliana Cuatrec.

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Ilex laurina is an evergreen tree that can grow around 4 - 30 metres tall with a bole that can be up to 60cm in diameter in old trees[
592
Title
Contributions to The Flora of Venezuela.
Publication
 
Author
Steyermark J.A. Et al
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Chicago Natural History Museum; Chicago.
Year
1951 - 1957
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent flora, though made at a time when botanical knowledge of the areas was still very lacking.
,
2069
Title
Les Aquifoliaceae péruviennes: éléments pour une révision des Aquifoliaceae néotropicales
Publication
Boissiera 48 (1994)
Author
Loizeau A.
Website
http://doi.org/10.5169/seals-895414
Publisher
Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de Genève
Year
1994
ISBN
2-8277-0064-6
Description
 
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of wood and may be of value as a health-promoting herbal tea..
Ilex laurina has a wide distribution and there is no information on any specific threats causing significant decline The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2021)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

Although no specific reports of toxicity have been seen for this species, Ilex species in general contain several potentially toxic compounds, particularly saponins, glycosides and triterpenoids. These compounds also often have a range of potential health benefits[
274
Title
Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas
Publication
 
Author
Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J
Website
http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm
Publisher
Botanical Research Institute, Texas.
Year
1999
ISBN
1-889878-01-4
Description
An excellent flora, which is also available on-line.
,
293
Title
Poisonous Plants of North Carolina
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent concise but comprehensive guide to toxic plants that grow in N. Carolina. It lists even those plants that are of very low toxicity, including several well-known food plants such as carrots and potatoes.
,
2070
Title
Genus Ilex L.: Phytochemistry, Ethnopharmacology, and Pharmacology
Publication
Chinese Herbal Medicines, 2016, 8(3): 209-230
Author
Fan Yi, Xiao-ling Zhao, Yong Peng, Pei-gen Xiao
Website
http://10.1016/S1674-6384(16)60044-8
Publisher
 
Year
2016
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
The berries are usually the part of the plant most likely to be toxic, though the degree of toxicity is usually low. Their bitter flavour usually prevents a person eating more than one or two, but even a small handful of the fruit eaten by a healthy adult is unlikely to cause more than feelings of nausea that can lead on to vomiting and diarrhoea[
293
Title
Poisonous Plants of North Carolina
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent concise but comprehensive guide to toxic plants that grow in N. Carolina. It lists even those plants that are of very low toxicity, including several well-known food plants such as carrots and potatoes.
].
The compounds in the leaves are particularly interesting. The leaves of many Ilex species around the world are commonly used to make health-promoting teas that, when drunk on a regular basis, help to regulate bodily functions and can reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood-cholesterol levels etc (See Ilex paraguariensis or Ilex kaushue for examples)[
2070
Title
Genus Ilex L.: Phytochemistry, Ethnopharmacology, and Pharmacology
Publication
Chinese Herbal Medicines, 2016, 8(3): 209-230
Author
Fan Yi, Xiao-ling Zhao, Yong Peng, Pei-gen Xiao
Website
http://10.1016/S1674-6384(16)60044-8
Publisher
 
Year
2016
ISBN
 
Description
 
]. Even these teas, however, if taken in very concentrated doses, can act as a laxative or cause vomiting. Indeed, several species are used by traditional peoples to induce vomiting as a means of purifying the body (see Ilex guayusa or Ilex vomitoria for examples)

Botanical References

2069
Title
Les Aquifoliaceae péruviennes: éléments pour une révision des Aquifoliaceae néotropicales
Publication
Boissiera 48 (1994)
Author
Loizeau A.
Website
http://doi.org/10.5169/seals-895414
Publisher
Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de Genève
Year
1994
ISBN
2-8277-0064-6
Description
 

Range

S. America - Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela

Habitat

Rich, moist woods[
592
Title
Contributions to The Flora of Venezuela.
Publication
 
Author
Steyermark J.A. Et al
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Chicago Natural History Museum; Chicago.
Year
1951 - 1957
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent flora, though made at a time when botanical knowledge of the areas was still very lacking.
]. Dense, humid, evergreen tropical forest, subtropical, montane and premontane forests, usually growing on acidic soils; at elevations from 350 - 3,800 metres[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
,
2069
Title
Les Aquifoliaceae péruviennes: éléments pour une révision des Aquifoliaceae néotropicales
Publication
Boissiera 48 (1994)
Author
Loizeau A.
Website
http://doi.org/10.5169/seals-895414
Publisher
Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de Genève
Year
1994
ISBN
2-8277-0064-6
Description
 
].

Properties

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height15.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details


Ilex species generally tolerate most soils that are not water-logged[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. This species is found in the wild on acidic soils[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[
2069
Title
Les Aquifoliaceae péruviennes: éléments pour une révision des Aquifoliaceae néotropicales
Publication
Boissiera 48 (1994)
Author
Loizeau A.
Website
http://doi.org/10.5169/seals-895414
Publisher
Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de Genève
Year
1994
ISBN
2-8277-0064-6
Description
 
].

Edible Uses

This species is recognized to be a crop wild relative of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis A.St.-Hil.) and can be used like that species to make a tea[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Medicinal

This species is recognized to be a crop wild relative of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis A.St.-Hil.). It is used medicinally[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

It has been shown that medicinally active compounds in the leaves have promising antioxidant and anticancer potentials comparable to commercially available yerba mate tea ((Ilex paraguariensis A.St.-Hil). An infusion of the leaves showed antiproliferative and apoptotic effects against colon cancer cells[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Other Uses

The wood is soft when freshly harvested but becomes hard on drying. It is used to make kitchen utensils[
1783
Title
Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador
Publication
 
Author
de la Torre, L., Navarrete H., P. Muriel M., Macía M.J. & Ba
Publisher
Herbario QCA de la Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas de la Pontific
Year
2008
ISBN
978-9978-77-135-8
Description
 
,
2069
Title
Les Aquifoliaceae péruviennes: éléments pour une révision des Aquifoliaceae néotropicales
Publication
Boissiera 48 (1994)
Author
Loizeau A.
Website
http://doi.org/10.5169/seals-895414
Publisher
Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de Genève
Year
1994
ISBN
2-8277-0064-6
Description
 
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-12. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Ilex+laurina>

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