614 MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



Distribution. Common in Northern United States to Florida, Mississippi, 

 Arizona, Utah, British Columbia to Nova Scotia. A troublesome weed at times 

 in rocky soils. 



Poisonous properties. There is a popular impression that the red drupes 

 of this species are poisonous, but I know of no record where the eating of 

 this fruit has produced poisoning. The fruit is decidedly acid. 



AQUIFOLIACEAE. Holly Family. 



Trees or shrubs with small, simple, mostly petioled, alternate leaves; 

 flowers in axillary clusters, chiefly polygamo-dioecious ; calyx minute, free; 

 petals 4-8 or more; stamens free, as many as the petals; pistil 1, ovary super- 

 ior, 4-8 celled; ovules 1-2 in each cavity; fruit a small berry-like drupe; seeds 

 with small embryo ; endosperm present. 



A small order of 160 species. The American holly {Ilex opaca) from Maine 

 to Florida, Missouri and Texas, is much used for Christmas decoration. The 

 European holly (IlexAquifolium} is used for a similar purpose. The berries 

 of this species, though eaten by birds, are said to be poisonous. Whether the 

 seeds of the American species are poisonous is not known although it contains 

 the principle ilicin. The Ilex Cassine, which ocurs from southern Virginia to 

 Florida and Louisiana along the coast, was used by the Indians during their 

 religious ceremonies to make what they called their "black drink," an emetic 

 intended to clear the head and stomach. It contanis caffein. The yerba or 

 mate (Ilex paraguensis*) , native to southern Brazil and Argentine Republic 

 is used like the Chinese tea and is stimulating. Properly the term "mate" is 

 applied to the drinking cup made from a small gourd. Yerba is an important 

 article of commerce in South American countries. The leaves contain the 

 same active principle, caffein, that is found in the tea. Two other species 

 /. theczans and Symplocos lanceolata also furnish the mate. The wood of the 

 larger trees of the genus, like Ilex opaca and Ilex Aquifolium is white and is 

 used by cabinet makers. 



CELASTRACEAE. Staff-tree Family 



Shrubs, or trees, with simple leaves; stipules small or absent; flowers 

 regular, usually perfect; calyx 4-5-lobed; petals 4-5; stamens inserted on a 

 flat or lobed disk; pistils with 3 or 5-celled ovary; ovules 2 in each cavity; 

 fruit 2 to 5-celled, fleshy; seeds with an aril, embryo large, and fleshy endos- 

 perm. About 350 species of wide distribution. 



The burning bush or waahoo (Euonymus atropurpurens} is a well known 

 native, frequently cultivated and is a most desirable shrub. The Cat ha edulis 

 of Arabia is extensively cultivated and is used as coffee b}' the Arabs. The 

 leaves are also chewed by the natives, having a stimulating effect similar to that 

 of cocain. It contains the alkaloids catkin and celastrin. The Elaeodendron 

 australe of New South Wales is used for cabinet work. The genus Pachi- 

 stima is represented in the Rocky Mountains by Pachistima Myrsinites, and in 

 the Alleghany Mountains by Pachistima Cambyi both of which are pretty shrubs. 



Celastrus L. Staff-tree. Bitter-sweet 



Mostly climbing shrubs; leaves thin; flowers racemose or paniculate; poly- 

 gamo-dioecious; calyx 5-lobed; petals 5, crenulate, inserted under the disk; 



