Does the role of minor-mode-alist variable is to only help in displaying the mode name?

[Talespin Kit]

In the elisp document the role of the minor-mode-alist variable is described as 
below. 


23.3.1 Conventions for Writing Minor Modes
----------------------------------------------------------------

 Add an element to `minor-mode-alist' for each minor mode (*note
     Definition of minor-mode-alist::), if you want to indicate the
     minor mode in the mode line. 

But the function "describe-mode" uses the variable "minor-mode-alist" to find 
the list of minor modes. Does this mean the document is to be updated. Because 
it gives the impression the information about the minor modes are stored 
somewhere else. Although i am not able to find it out. 

Regards,
Talespin