SWINGLE: CHINESE TREE OF HEAVEN -490 



The oldest valid name applied to the Tree of Heaven was 

 Toxicodendron altissimum; consequently its synonomy becomes s 

 follows: 10 



Ailanthus altissima Miller) Swingle, comb. nov. 



Toxicodendron Altissimum Miller. Gard. Diet., ed. 8. 1768. 

 Rhus Sinense Ellis: Houttuyn. Xatuur. Hist.. II. 2: 212. 1774. 

 Rhus Cacodendron Ehrhart, Hannov. Mag.. 21: 225-226. Feb., 178 



Beitrage. 2: 111. 1788. 

 Ailanthus glandidosa Desf. Mem. Acad. Sci. Paris. 1786: 265. pi. 8. 



17SS: LHeritier. Stirp. Nov.. 179-1S1. pi. 84. 1791. 

 Ailanthus procera Salisbury, Prodr. 171. 1796. 

 Pongelion glandulosum Pierre, Fl. Cochinchin., 4: text pi. 294. 



1893. 

 Ailanthus Cacodendron Sehinz <Jt Thelluns:, Mem. Soc. Sci. Xat. 



Cherbourg, 38: 679. 1912. 



In spite of the derivation of the generic name from the native 

 name of a tree growing in Amboyna. Ailanthus is not based upon 

 the Amboyna species described by Piumphius but on A. glandu- 

 losa, as Desfontaines says that the Arbor coeli 11 of Rumphius 

 seems to belong to his genus, which of course makes it clear that 

 he does not definitely include it. 



ORIGIN OF THE NAME "TREE OF HEAVEN*' 



The common name of this tree also has a curious history. At 

 first it was supposed to be the Chinese varnish tree, because seeds 

 had been sent from China under that name by d'lncarville. 

 When Desfontaines constituted a new genus for this Chinese 

 species he named it Ailanthus from the native name Aylanto of 

 a tree growing in Amboyna. as he thought the Amboyna tree 



10 There is no warrant for using the generic name Pongelion Adans., 1763, or 

 Pongdium Scopoli. 1777. for this tree ani its congeners, since no species were 

 published under either name until 1893, when Pierre resuscitated Pongelium 

 under the mistaken idea that it was established before Ailanthus of Desfontain - 



11 "II [Ailanthus glandidosa] est originaire de la Chine, tfc iarbor coeli de Rum- 

 phius, hort. amboin. que les Indiens appelent ailanthe, dans leur langue, est une 

 espece qui nous paroit appartenir au genre que nous venons de decrire: e'esl 

 pourquoi nous avous conserve cette denomination pour nom generique. " Des- 

 foxtaixes. Memoire sur un nouveau genre d'arbre Ailanthus glandulosa. L Ail- 

 anthe glandukux. Mem. Acad. Sci. Paris, 1786: 271. 17-- 



