The Java® Language Specification, Java SE 7 Edition, Fourth Edition

4.5. Parameterized Types

A generic class or interface declaration C (§8.1.2, §9.1.2) with one or more type parameters A₁,...,A_n which have corresponding bounds B₁,...,B_n defines a set of parameterized types, one for each possible invocation of the type parameter section.

Each parameterized type in the set is of the form C<T₁,...,T_n> where each type argument T_i ranges over all types that are subtypes of all types listed in the corresponding bound. That is, for each bound type S_i in B_i, T_i is a subtype of S_i[F₁:=T₁,...,F_n:=T_n].

A parameterized type is written as a ClassType or InterfaceType that contains at least one type declaration specifier immediately followed by a type argument list <T₁,...,T_n>. The type argument list denotes a particular ...