84 CASHKW FAMILY. 



30. MELIACEJE, MKLIA FAMILY. 



Trees, chiefly with pinnatcly compound dotless leaves, stamens 

 twice as many as the petals ami muted up to or beyond tlie anthers 

 into a tube, and a several-celled ovary with a single style ; almost 

 all tropical, represented in Florida and larlher south by SWIKTE- 

 NIA MAIIOOANI, tin- MAHOGANY-TUKK, and by an exotic shade- 

 tree at l he South, viz. 



1. MELIA. (l Mil (Jreek name of the Ash, transferred to a widely different 

 tree.) Calyx 5 6-parted. I 'rials ~> or r>. linear-spatulate. Filaments united 

 into a cylindrical tube with a 10- 12-clcft mouth, cndo-ing as maiiv anthers. 

 Fruit a globose berry-like drupe, with a bony .">-celled stune, and a single seed 

 in each cell. Flowers in large compound panicles. 



M. Azedarach, FKIDK-OF-IXDIA or CHINA-TREE. A favorite shade- 

 tree at the S., 30 -40 hitch, with twice pinnate smooth leaves, ovate and 

 pointed toothed leaflets, of a deep green color, and numer'ms fragrant lilac-col- 

 ored flowers, in spring, succeeded by the yellowish fruity 



31. ANACARDIACE.3E, CASHEW FAMILY. 



Trees or shrubs, with resinous or acid, sometimes poisonous, often 

 colored or milky juice ; alternate leaves without stipules ; small 

 flowers with sepals, petals, and stamens 5 ; and a 1-celled 1 -ovule J 

 ovary bearing 3 styles or stigmas, represented by the genus 



1. RHUS, SUMACH. (Ancient narrn.) Flowers polygamous or dioe- 

 cious, sometimes perfect, whilUh or greenish, in terminal or axillary panicles. 

 Stamens inserted under the edge or between the lobes of a flattened di<k in 

 the bottom of the calyx. Fruit a small (Fry or berrv-like drupe, the solitary 

 seed on a curved stalk rising from the bottom of the cell. (The astringent 

 leaves of some species are used for dyeing and tanning, tlio.-e of 1!. CIIRIA- 

 KIA in S. Kurope for morocco leather. The juice of some Japanese species 

 yield their famous lacquer; the fruit of another a sort of wax.) 



1. Cultivated from /.'//>, with simple entin linns: not poisonous. 



R. C6tinus, S.MOKK-TIJKI: or YI.NKTI.VN STMACII. Shrub 5 -9 high, 

 smooth, with obovate leaves mi -lender petioles. IOOM- panicles of flowers iu early 

 summer, followed rarely by little half-heart-shaped fruits: usually most of the 

 flowers an: abortive, while their pedicels lengthen, branch, and b'-ir long plumv 

 hairs, making large and liyht, feathery or cloud-like bunches, cither greenish or 

 tin.iccd with red, which are \ery ornamental. The same or one very like it is 

 wild in Alabama. 



2. \nlii-i- s/nriis, irit/i I-III/I/IIH/IK! linns n/'.'i-.'H Imtlits. 

 * Poisonous l<> lli<' lonrli fur iimst /ifii/ili . tin /ui'i; risiii'i'i.-i : time, rs in slender axil* 



(ary panicles, m summit-: fruit smooth, t<'l<lt< or dun-color, 



R. Toxicod6ndron, l'"isi>\ l\v or I'UISUN OAK. Common in low 



grounds, climbiiiLC by rootlets <ner rocks, ^e., or ascending trees; leaflets ;)_ 

 rhombic-ovate, often sinuate or cut-lobed, rather downy beneath. A vile pc'st. 



R. venenata, I'OISUN Sf.M\rn, I'. FI.I.KI;, or 1'. l)n<.w. >,u>. In swampy 

 ground; shrub fi-lS high, smooth, with pinnate leaves of 7-l.'i obovato 

 entire leaflet-, and \ery slender panicles. More virulent than the foregoing. 



* * Not poisonous : frnlt nil mi<1 In si I it-//// nihlish hairs, r<-ri/ arid. 



- Lf iins /liiiiin/i' : J/iiifi /.< u-li, 'tis/i, in lin-i/i ninl r. r// i-nm/xirl ti rminnl jxiniclts. 

 in nnli/ sni/ii/ii r, succeeded // <t i-n/n/mi t muss i'/ ' i-rtiiisini fruit. 



R. typhina, STACIKIKN Si MACII. Shrill) or tree, on hillsides, &e., 10 - 

 30 high, with resinous-milky juice, brownish-yellow wood, velvety-hairy 



