Ilex aculeolata
Family: Aquifoliaceae
What it is like
A shrub. It grows 1-3 m tall. It loses its leaves during the year. The young branches are slender and hairy at the base. The leaves are 2-5 cm long by 1-3 cm wide. There are teeth along the edge. The flowering shoots occur singly in the axils of leaves. Male and female flowers are separate. The flowers are white.
There are about 400 Ilex species. They are mostly trees and shrubs of the tropics. The book Flowering plants of the Neotropics claims the leaves or 60 species of Ilex are used for drinks.
Where it is found
It is a subtropical plant. In China it grows between 100-1,200 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, China
How it is used for food
CAUTION:
Edible parts
Root