CORONARIE^ 321 



The plant is i to 2 ft. in height. It flowers in March 

 and April, and is an evergreen perennial shrub. 



The anther-stalks unite to form a tube. The plant 

 is dioecious, or frequently so, or monoecious. In 

 either case pollination must be effected by outside 

 agency, i. e. insects. As fruit is frequently to be 

 found cross-pollination must generally result. 



Birds disperse the berries, which are scarlet or 

 yellow, and attract attention. 



Britten and Holland cite the following names, 

 Prickly Box, Box Holly, Butcher's Broom, Jew's 

 Myrtle, Knee Holly, Knee Holme, Knee Hulver, 

 Kneehul, Wild Myrtle, Petigree, Shepherd's Myrtle. 



Authorities differ as to why this plant is called 

 Butcher's Broom. One author says that it is " because 

 butchers used to make brooms of it to sweep their 

 blocks." But in Germany and Italy the reason given 

 is, " because of its use to preserve meat, by covering 

 it, from mice and rats." In fact the Italian name is 

 Pongitopo, or prickmouse. 



This is the plant which is dyed a pink colour and 

 sold in greengrocer's shops for decoration. It has 

 also been used for wreaths for graves. The young 

 shoots have been eaten like asparagus in Greece. 

 The red berries have been roasted and used in place 

 of coffee in Corsica. London cigar manufacturers 

 have used the boughs to sprinkle a saline liquor over 

 tobacco leaves. The plant is much used for orna- 

 mental plantation in shrubberies. 



Ruscus ACULEATUS. — III Fig. 86 the shrub-like 



VOL. III. 21 



