My guess is that a family chose to shorten their tree at some time and put this section in storage where it was separated from the rest of the tree. Looking at other tree instructions, this could be a pole that extends the height of your tree. The 24 inch pole has a diameter of 1 inch and is metal with metal collars that are adjustable. Each collar holds three 24 inch branches, for a total of 18 branches (I have added one more branch in case one belongs in the hole on the plug). One end of the pole has a removable plug.
There are not holes for a stand, and no stand is included. The aluminum branches are sturdy and the "needles" are about 2 1/2 inches long are smooth and seem substantial. Check the photos carefully as I tried to honestly show what you are getting.