212 MEDICINAL AND POISONOUS PLANTS 
with fatal results. The berries of the nearly related black 
nightshade (Fig. 198) and the bittersweet (Fig. 199) are 
somewhat poisonous, and from their bright colors especially 
liable to attract children. At Christmas, young children 
sometimes suffer from eating the white berries of the mistle- 
toe (Figs. 200-202) used in decoration. Similar cases of 
G 
Fig. 203.—Christmas Holly (Ilex Aquifolium, Holly Family, Aquifoliacee). 
A, branch bearing leaves and staminate flowers. B, staminate flower. 
C, pistillate flower. D, pistil, cut vertically. , fruit. F, same, cut 
across. G, seed. H, same, cut vertically. (Kronfeld, Reichenbach.)— 
Tree growing 12 m. tall, leaves evergreen; flowers whitish; fruit scarlet. 
Native home, Eurasia. 
poisoning are recorded with regard to the scarlet berries of 
the Christmas holly (Fig. 203). The tempting red pulp 
surrounding the poisonous seeds of the yew (Fig. 204) while 
itself harmless has sometimes led children to eat the seeds, 
with fatal results. Young children are also liable to eat the 
pretty seeds of the castor-oil plant which is very commonly 
planted for ornament. These seeds are poisonous although, 
