THE ANTIFEBRILE RHUS. 



Si/nonymes. 



Rhus typhim, 



Sumac de Virginie, 



Virginischer Sumach, Farberbaum, 



Sommacco peloso, Sorbo salvatico, 



Zumaque de Virginia, 



Stag-horn Sumach, Virginian Sumach, 



' LiNNiEDs, Species Plantarum. 

 De Candolle, Prodromus. 

 Don, Miller's Dictionary. 

 Loudon, Arboretum Britannicum. 

 ToRREY AND Gray, Flora of North America. 

 France. 

 Germany. 

 Italy. 

 Spain. 

 Britain and Anglo- America. 



Dtriraliona The specific name, typhina, is derived from the Greek tuphos, stupor or senselessness, on account of tJe roow 

 of this shrub being used in medicine as a febrifuge. The German name, Farberbaum, signifies Dyer's-lree. 



Engravings. Du Hamel, Traii6 des Arbres el ^rbustes, ii., pi. 47 ; Loudon, Arboretum Britannicum, ii., figure 224 ; and ihe 

 figures below. 



Specific Characters. Leaf of 810 pairs of leaflets, and the odd one, that are lanceolate, acuminate, ser- 

 rated, hairy beneath. Petiole and branches hairy. De Candolle, Prodromus. 



Description. 



^S^w^HE Rhus typhina, in its arbo- 



^ ^rp 1^ rescent form, attains a height 



^ J k^ of ten to twenty-five feet, 



^^t)^^ ahhoiigh under some circum- 

 stances it dwuidles down to a mere shrub, from 

 ten to two feet in height. Its stem is woody, with 

 a summit composed of numerous irregular branches, 

 generally crooked and deformed. The young 

 shoots are covered with a soft, velvet-like down, 

 resembling that of the new horns of the stag, 

 both in colour and texture. The leaves are large, 

 slightly downy beneath, and are distinguished in 

 autumn, before they fall, by changing to a purplish 

 or yellowish-red. The flowers appear in June, 

 and are of a greenish-yellow. They are produced 

 in close spikes at the ends of the branches, and are 

 succeeded by drupes or berries, densely clothed 

 with crimson hairs, which soon become conspicu- 

 ous, and remain upon the tree during winter. 



Varieties. There are many varieties of this species in North America, and 

 from the confusion existing in botanical works, it is often difficult to decide 

 which are species or which are varieties in this genus. The following races, 

 however, appear to be sufficiently distinct, to be classed under the present head. 



1 . R. T. viRiDiFLORA. Grsen-flowered Sumach, with green flowers in upright 

 racemes. 



2. R. T. GLABRA. Glahrous Rhus, or Scarlet Sumach, with glabrous leaves, 

 and fruit covered with red, silky hairs. 



3. R. T. HERMAPHRODiTA, with hermaphrodite sexes, glabrous leaves, and green- 

 ish flowers, 



4. R. T. DioiCA, with dioecious sexes, glabrous leaves, and greenish flowers. 



