Taxonomic history
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Quercus smilax in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 994 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
Today: The current name for this species is Quercus ilex L.
original Latin diagnosis
Quercus foliis oblongo-ovatis subtus tomentosis integerrimis.
English translation
Quercus with leaf blades oblong-ovate [and] below tomentose [and] entire.
| Quercus | Quercus |
| with leaf blades | foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i |
| oblong-ovate; | lanceolatis = oblongo- (combining form of group A adjective oblongus, -a, -um) + ovatis (ablative plural neuter of group A adjective ovatus, -a, -um); modifies foliis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| below | subtus - adverb |
| tomentose | tomentosis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective tomentosus; modifies foliis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| entire. | integerrimis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective integerrimus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |