Abstract: Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to examine characters of fruit coats in a medical plant, Ilex kudingcha C. J. Tseng, and its relative 4 species. In those species, stomatal apparatus is ovate or suborbicular or elliptic and only presents on the fruit surface. Ornamentation of outer stomatal ledge (or rim) is nearly smooth or with wax fragments and inner margin of them is nearly smooth, rarely sinuolate. Cuticular membrane is insular but annular around stomata. As a result of observation, characters of fruit coats under SEM are very useful evidence in identifying and classifying of Ilex. In the present paper, it is not supported that I. kudingcha should be referred to I. kaushue S. Y. Hu because of the existence of fingered trichomes on the fruit epidermis in I. kaushue but it is supported that I. pentagona S. K. Chen, Y. X. Feng et C. F. Liang is a new speices because of the remarkable difference of characters of fruit coats between I. pentagona and I. kudingcha.

Key words: Ilex kudingcha C. J. Tseng, fruit coats, Stomatal apparatus