Preface 



This checklist provides plantsmen, nurserymen, horticulturists, bota- 

 nists, and amateur gardeners with a specialized list of cultivated Ilex ac- 

 companied by descriptions, origin, sources, and, occasionally, hardiness 

 ratings. Cultivated Ilex is currently experiencing great popularity in the 

 United States and is encountering a proliferation of cultivar names and 

 registrations. For this reason, this checklist is considered to be both appro- 

 priate and timely. 



The Holly Society of America, Inc., in 1953 published Bulletin No. 6, The 

 Preliminary Holly Check List, which was compiled by the Society's Com- 

 mittee on Check List — Chairman J. C. Wister, R. B. Clark, and C. H. 

 Conners. At that time this was the most comprehensive checklist of the 

 genus, although these authors realized that a revision would be necessary. 

 Accordingly, the Check List Committee was continued and given the 

 responsibility of producing a list of greater application. The compilation 

 of this present checklist was begun in 1964 as a cooperative project between 

 the Holly Society of America, Inc., which is the designated International 

 Registration Authority for cultivated Ilex, and the United States National 

 Arboretum. 



With the publication in 1958 of the International Code of Nomenclature 

 for Cultivated Plants (now in the third edition — 1969), it became obvious 

 that the nomenclature of cultivated Ilex, particularly at the rank of 

 cultivar, would have to be revised in accordance with the rules and concepts 

 established by the Code. 



The publication of this checklist fulfills in part the requirement of the 

 Holly Society of America, Inc., as International Registration Authority 

 for Cultivated Ilex to produce a new checklist; Part I includes only 

 /. opaca. This checklist also fulfills the obligation of the Holly Society of 

 America, Inc. ; by the same authority, to provide the suitable information 

 essential to determine the acceptability of cultivar names for International 

 Holly Registrations. Only a small part of the information herein is based 

 on observation of actual living plant material. Many problems remain that 

 could be solved if authentic plant material were analyzed. This is particu- 

 larly pertinent regarding contradictory statements of sex and descriptions 

 between published references. Original and subsidiary references some- 



