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 



Fig. 203. — -Christmas Holly (Ilex Aquifolium, Holly Family, Aquifoliaceae) . 

 A, branch bearing leaves and staminate flowers. B, staminate flower. 

 C, pistillate flower. D, pistil, cut vertically. E, 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 poi.sonous 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, 



