Handbook ok Treks of tjik ^^)ktiikkn States and Canada. 317 



riie Yau[)(jii is a small tree occasionally 

 iiUixining the lu'ij,'lit of 20 or 30 ft., with dense 

 top of many branches and usually more or less 

 inclined trunk from G to 10 or 12 in. in di 

 ameter. It is often shrubby, sending up several 

 trunks from a common base. It is confined 

 to the immediate vicinity of the coast, seeming 

 to rccjuire the intluence of the sea breezes in 

 order to maintain its existence, excepting in 

 the lower Mississippi valley where it ventures 

 farther inland. It is a tree of rare beauty in 

 autumn and winter, when its brilliant red 

 berries and handsome dark shining green leaves 

 on livid branchlets are sought for Christmas 

 decorations. The leaves of the species possess 

 strong emetic properties, as implied in both 

 the specific name and one of the vernacular 

 ?iames — Enwtic HoUi/, — which was a fad 

 known to the Indians in early days. From 

 these leaves they made their " black drink " 

 which was used both as a medicine and cere 

 monial drink, and to partake of it they jour 

 neyed from far inland to the coast at regular 

 intervals. 



The wood is rather heavy, hard, close 



grained and of a creamy white color, suitable 



for use in turnery, for inlaid work, etc. A 



cubic foot when absolutely dry weighs 45.31 



lbs. 



Lcai-es persistent, elliptical or oblong. 1-2 in. 

 long, obtuse at both ends, crenate, coriaceous, 

 lustrous dark green above, paler beneath : petioles 

 sliort (about Vs in.) and thick. Flowers in glab- 

 rous cymes from the axils of the leaves of the 

 previous year, the staminate short-peduneled and 

 sevoral-flowered ; tlie pistillate 1 or 2-flowered and 

 sessile. Fruit rijiening late in autumn, subglo- 

 bose. bright rod. about M in. in diameter, often in 

 great abundance and i)prsisting until spring with 

 stems about V4 in. long : nutlets obtuse at both 

 ends and prominently ribbed. 



1. Syn. Ilex Cassine Walt. 



