Sumac Family 239 



* Inflorescence paniculate; fruit glabrous. 



1. R. diversiloba T. & G. (Poison Oak.) Erect, 1-3 m. high, 



or ascending trees by aerial roots to a considerable height ; leaves 

 3-foliate, deciduous ; leaflets ovate, obovate or elliptic, very obtuse 

 or roundish at apex, variously lobed or toothed, or rarely entire; 

 flowers greenish, in small axillary open spreading or drooping 

 panicles; drupes 4-6 mm. in diameter, with a thin glabrous 

 deciduous epicarp and granular waxy persistent mesocarp; stone 

 rugose or undulate. 



Frequent in the chaparral belt throughout our range. April-May. 



2. R. laurina Nutt. Erect evergreen shrub, 2-4 m. high, 

 exhaling the odor of bitter almonds; leaves thin, coriaceous, 

 oblong-lanceolate, entire, acute or obtuse, mucronate, 7-10 cm. 

 long, rounded at base on rather long petioles ; flowers polygamous, 

 very small, white, numerous in ample terminal panicles; drupes 

 whitish, 2-3 mm. in diameter, smooth; mesocarp waxy; stone 

 minute, smooth. 



Very common in the foothills and extending well up into the chaparral; 

 less common in the interior. June-July. 



** Inflorescence glomerate or spike-like; fruit viscid, reddish. 



3. R. integrifolia (Nutt.) B. & H. Low evergreen shrub, 1-2 

 m. high, often more or less depressed, with short stiff branches; 

 leaves oval, rigid-coriaceous, very obtuse at both ends, or acutish 

 at base, entire or sometimes serrate, 2.5-4 cm. long, dark green 

 and shining ahove, veiny and paler beneath ; petioles 5-8 mm. 

 long; inflorescence and young parts cinereous or canescently 

 puherulent ; flowers white or rose-colored, glomerate, sessile, sub- 

 tended by rather thick orbicular bracts within which are 2 simi- 

 lar but thinner bractlets ; sepals oval-orbicular, scarious-margined, 

 ciliolate; drupes very viscid and acid, about 10 mm. in diameter. 



Bluffs along the seashore; rarely extending inland on our range, Cahuenga 

 Pass: rather frequent in the foothills back of San Diego. February-March. 



4. R. ovata Wats. Erect or spreading evergreen shrub, 1.5-3 

 m. high ; leaves rigid-coriaceous, very smooth and shining, ovate 

 or subcordate, acute at apex, entire or sharply serrate; inflores- 

 cence glabrous or glabrate; bracts as in the last; calyx scarcely 

 or not at all ciliolate; fruit 8 mm. in diameter, otherwise as in 

 the last. 



Occasional in the chaparral belt throughout our range. March-April. 



