216 ANACARDIACEiE. Rhus. 



notes on this plant ; and have drawn up the preceding description from in- 

 complete specimens. It will be seen that the plant ditfers considerably from 

 the genus Pitavia (or Galvezia) as defined by Ad. Jussieu, in his Mc7n. sur 

 des Rutacdes, from which the generic character given above has been ex- 

 tracted ; and it is very probably not a congener of Galvezia punctata, JRuiz ^ 

 Pav. The sterile flowers, if they exist, we have not seen ; those in our 

 specimen being apparently perfect. 



Order XXXIV. ANACARDIACEJE. R. Br. 



Flowers perfect, or frequently diclinous, regular. Sepals 5, or rarely 

 3-4-7, distinct or more or less combined, usually persistent. Petals 

 of the same number as the sepals (or sometimes none), inserted into 

 the disk which lines the bottom of the caly.x : aestivation imbricated 

 or rarely valvate. Stamens as many as the petals and alternate with 

 them, or twice as many or more, a portion sometimes sterile : fila. 

 ments distinct, sometimes alternately shorter, inserted with the petals : 

 anthers introrse. Ovary solitary (of 1-5 carpels, distinct or united, 

 but all abortive except one), free, or rarely adhering to the calyx, 

 1-celled, or with one or two abortive cells of the suppressed carpels : 

 ovule solitary, on a funiculus which rises from the base of the cell 

 but is sometimes adnate to one of its sides : styles 3 or rarely 4-5, 

 distinct or combined : stigmas as many. Fruit indehiscent, usually 

 drupaceous, 1-seeded. Seed erect or suspended, anatropous, without 

 albumen. Embryo more or less curved : cotyledons very thick and 

 fleshy, sometimes foliaceous, often bent upon the radicle. — Trees or 

 shrubs, with a resinous, gummy, caustic or milky juice. Leaves sim- 

 ple or compound, alternate, exstipulate, not dotted. Flowers axillary 

 or terminal, mostly panicled. 



1. RHUS. Li7in.; Lam. ill. t 207. 



Sepals 5, united at the base, small, persistent. Petals 5, ovate, spreading, 

 inserted under the margin of the orbicular disk. Stamens 5 (rarely 10), 

 equal, inserted into the disk. Styles 3, distinct or united : stigmas 3, sub- 

 capitate. Fruit almost a dry drupe ; nut bony, 1-celled. Seed sohtary, sus- 

 pended on a funiculus that rises from the base to the apex of the cell. Co- 

 tyledons foliaceous, incumbent upon the radicle.— Shrubs or small trees. 

 Leaves simple, or unequally pinnate. Flowers often by abortion polyga- 

 mous or dioecious. 



§ 1. Flowers perfect : drupe semi-ohcordate^reticulately veined ; nut tri- 

 angular: leaves simple: fiowers in loose panicles. — Cotincs, Tourn. 



1. R.Cotinusl (Linn.): leaves obovate, entire ; agteatpart of thefloAvers 

 abortive, the pedicels at length elongated and clothed with large shaggy 



