HETEKOMELES ARBUTIFOLIA CHRISTMAS-BERRY, TOLLON. 31 



upper hairy ends of the carpels and their tips turning outward crown the summit ; 

 seeds usually solitary in each cell, ovate lenticular, slightly ridged on the back, 

 with membranaceous light brown puncticulate testa and a conspicuous Mhnrr, no 

 albumen. 



The genus consists of the single following species and its name is derived from 

 the Greek c'rcpos, different, and jiijXov, fruit, alluding to the difference between this 

 fruit and that of the allied genera. 



181. HETEROMELES ARBUTIFOLIA, ROEMER. 



CHRISTMAS-BERRY, CALIFORNIA HOLLY, TOYOX, TOLLON. 



Ger., Chrlstfestbeere Fr., IIoux de Coli/ornie ; Sp., Tollon. 



The Christinas-berry is a small round-topped tree, sometimes 30 ft. 

 (9 m.) in height, with a trunk 18 in. to 2 ft. (0.50 m.) in diameter, 

 vested in a rather thin light-gray bark, mottled with whitish, which 

 becomes fissured with age and reticulated by firmly adherent ridges. 

 Or it is often found fruiting as a shrub. It is a particularly beauti- 

 ful object when laden with its bunches of light-red berries, which 

 contrast strongly with its shining dark green foliage. 



HABITAT. The coast region of California, along slopes and the 

 borders of streams, from Mendocino Co. to Lower California, and on 

 the islands off the coast, where it attains its greatest development. It 

 extends eastward to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and San Ber- 

 nardino Mountains. 



PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. Wood heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, 

 susceptible of a satiny polish, and often with a handsome mottled 

 figure. It is of a reddish-buff color, light near the bark, but gradually 

 darkening to the chocolate-brown heart-wood. Specijiic Gravity, 

 0.9326 ; Weight of a Culic Foot in Pounds, 58.12. 



USES. Very little use is made of the Tollon, save for Christmas 

 decorations in California, for which its large bunches of bright scarlet 

 berries and shining dark green foliage make it very popular. 



The highly ornamental value of the tree, especially when in fruit, 

 should give it high rank for ornamental purposes in parks and gardens. 



MEDICINAL PROPERTIES. Tannic, gallic, and hydrocyanic acids 

 have been found in this plant.* 



ORDER SAXIFRAGACE-ffl: SAXIFRAGE FAMILY. 



Leaves simple or compound, alternate or whorled, with or without stipules. 

 Flowers perfect and mostly regular; sepals usually five, connate or distinct; cor- 

 olla of distinct petals, alternating with the sepals (or very rarely wanting); 

 stamens five, alternate with the petals, or double the number and inserted with 

 them on the calyx-tube; pistil with ovary superior, carpels usually two united or 



* U. S. Dispensatory, 17th ed., p. 1652. 



