160 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
common name of holly is that it is a corruption of holy, and 
the German name of “Christ thorn” perpetuates the legend 
that leaves of this tree were used to form the “crown of 
thorns.” The mistletoe, among many other woods, has fre- 
quently been referred to as the one from which the cross 
was made. Previous to the crucifixion—so runs the legend— 
it was a splendid forest tree, its disgraceful use causing it to 
assume its present humble parasitic habit. 
Long before the Christian era, however, holly and mistle- 
toe were singled out as plants of special significance. The 
Druids styled the mistletoe as “all heal,” it being considered 
an antidote for all disease, and even to the present day in 
some localities the virtues of its wood are highly regarded. 
In Sweden a finger ring of mistletoe is supposed to prevent 
sickness, and in France amulets of this plant were much 
worn. Culpepper speaks of mistletoe as “good for the grief 
of the sinew, itch and toothache, the biting of mad dogs and 
venomous beasts,” and Sir Thomas Brown alludes to its effi- 
cacy in cases of epilepsy. 
At Roman weddings, holly wreaths were sent as tokens of 
congratulation, and remarkable stories concerning the powers 
of this tree are recorded by Pliny. In Holland’s translation 
of Pliny’s “Historie of the World,” published in 1601, is 
found the following: 
“In touching the Holy or Hulver Tree if it be planted 
about an house, whether it be within a city or standing in 
the country, it serveth for a countercharm and keepeth away 
all ill spells or inchantments and defends the house from 
lightning. Pythagorus affirmeth that the flower of this tree 
will cause water to stand all upon an ice, also that if a staff 
made thereof, if a man do fling it at any beast what-so-ever, 
although it chanceth to light short for default of stren 
in his arms who flung it, will not-with-standing, etch for- 
ward and roll from the place where it fell upon the earth and 
approach near to the beast aforesaid ; of so admirable a nature 
is the Holy Tree.” 
THE HOLLY 
To most people there are but two kinds of holly, the Euro- 
— (Ilex Aquifoliwm) and the American (Ilex opaca). 
he botanist, however, recognizes over one hundred and 
seventy-five species, which range from the North Temperate 
to the South Temperate zones and are found on every con- 
tinent. Of this number, about fifteen occur in North 
America, although = five of these would be classed as trees, 
and but three of the latter are evergreen. Indeed, a con- 
siderable group of the hollies shed their leaves in the winter 
