Handbook of Teees of TiiE !Noetheen States and Canada. 317 



riu' Vaupun is a small tree occasionally 

 atluining the height of 20 or 30 ft., with dense 

 t(ip of man}' branches and usually more or less 

 inclined trunk from 6 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 require the influence 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 

 aulnmn and Avinter, 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 

 names — Emetic Holly, — which was a fact 

 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 4,5.31 

 lbs. 



I^ravcs persistent, elliptical or oblong, 1-2 in. 

 lonj;, obtuse at both ends, cronate. coriaceous, 

 lustrous dark green above, paler beneath ; petioles 

 short (about Vs in-i and thick. Flowers in glab- 

 rous cymes from the axils of the leaves of the 

 previous year, the staminate short-peduncled and 

 several-flowered ; the pistillate 1 or 2-flowered and 

 sessile. Fruit ripening late in autumn, subglo- 

 bose. bright red. about 14 in. in diameter, often in 

 great abundance and persisting until spring with 

 stems about ^4 in. long : nutlets obtuse at both 

 ends and prominently ribbed. 



1. Syn. Ilex Cassinc Walt. 



