The Aquifoliaceae or holly family is a small family with only a single genus, Ilex, but that genus contains about 600 species of woody shrubs and trees distributed almost worldwide with the exception of Australasia and western North America, and rare in Africa. The family takes its name from Aquifolium, which was the classical name for the holly. The leaves in this family are typically alternate, simple, stipulate and often spiny-margined or toothed. The flowers are in various types of inflorescences, but are all radially symmetric with 4-7 distinct or basally connate sepals and petals. The fruits are drupes or berries. Most of the family members are evergreen but some are seasonally decidious, and most species are pollinated by insects, most commonly bees. Fossil pollen identified as holly has been found dating back to the Upper Cretaceous period. The bright reddish berries makes them popular ornamentals.