HOLLY FAMILY 
Wood.—Brown, sapwood paler brown; light, tough, close- 
grained, susceptible of a brilliant polish, and is used for whip-han- 
dles, engraving blocks, and cabinet work. Sp. gr., 0.5818 ; weight 
of cu. ft., 36.26 lbs. 
Winter Buds.—Brown, short, obtuse or acute. 
Leaves.—Alternate, evergreen, simple, feather-veined, elliptical 
or oblong, two to four inches long, wedge-shaped at base, wavy 
toothed margin with a few spiny teeth, acute at apex ; midrib prom- 
inent and depressed, primary veins conspicuous. Thick, leathery, 
yellow green, shining above, often pale yellow beneath. They re- 
main on the branches for three years, finally falling in the spring 
when pushed off by growing buds. Petioles short, stout, grooved, 
thickened at base. Stipules minute. 
Flowers.—May, June. Dicecious, greenish white, small, both 
sterile and fertile borne in short pedunculate cymes from the axils 
of young leaves or scattered along the base of young branches. 
Sterile clusters three to nine-flowered ; fertile clusters one to three- 
flowered. Peduncles and pedicels hairy with minute bracts at base. 
Calyx.—Small, four-lobed, imbricate in the bud, acute, margins 
ciliate, persistent. 
Corolla.—Petals white, four, somewhat united at base, obtuse, 
spreading, hypogynous, imbricate in bud. 
Stamens.—Four, inserted on the base of corolla, alternate with 
its lobes ; filaments awl-shaped, exserted in the sterile, much short- 
erin the fertile flower ; anthers attached at the back, oblong, in- 
trorse, two-celled, cells opening longitudinally. 
Pistils—Ovary superior, four-celled, rudimentary in staminate 
flowers ; style wanting ; stigma sessile, four-lobed ; ovules one or 
two in each cell. 
fruit.—Drupaceous, spherical or ovoid, crowned with the rem- 
nants of the stigma, one-fourth of an inch across, red, rarely yellow, 
persistent all winter. Nutlets few, ribbed and veined, nearly tri- 
angular. 
On Chri 
On Christmas eve the mass was sung ; 
That only night in all the year, 
Saw the stoled priest the chalice rear. 
stmas eve the bells were rung ; 
The damsel donned her kirtle sheen ; 
The hall was dressed with holly green; 
Forth to the wood did merry-men go 
To gather in the mistletoe. 
Marmion,—S1R WALTER SCOTT. 
The mistletoe hung in the castle hall, 
The holly branch shone on the old oak wall; 
The baron’s retainers were blithe and gay 
A keeping a Christmas holiday. 
—TuHomaAs H. BAYLEY. 
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