284 Order 38.— ANACARDIACB^E. 



trees or shrubs. Lvs. alternate, mostly compound. Fls. often, by 

 abortion, imperfect. 



§ Leaves simple. Flowers perfect (or all abortive in cultivation) Nos. 9, 19 



§ Leaves compound. Flower polygamous, (a) 



a Fls. in clustered spikes preceding the trifoliate leaves No. 8 



a Fls. in axillary panicles, with the 3 — 13-foliate leaves. Poisonous Nos. 5 — 7 



a Fls. in terminal thyrses, with the 9— 31-foliato leaves, (b) 



b Common petiole winged between the leaflets No. 4 



b Common petiole, not winged Nos. 1 — 3 



1 R. glabra L. Lvs. and branches glabrous ; lfts. 11 to 31, lanceolate, acuminate, 

 acutely serrate, whitish beneath; iirred with crimson hairs. — Thickets and waste 

 ground, TJ. S. and Can. Shrub, G to 15f high, consisting of many straggling 

 branches, smooth, except its fruit. Lfts. sessile, except sometimes the terminal 

 odd one. Fls. in terminal, thyrsoid, denso panicles, greenish-red, 2 $ . Fertile 

 ovaries, clothed with grayish down, which in fruit becomes crimson, and con- 

 tains mallic acid (bi-malate of lime, Prof Rogers), extemely soar to the tasto, 

 Jn., Jl. The bark of this and other species may be used in tanning. Tho drupes 

 dye red. 



2 R. typbina L. Branches and petioles densely villous; lfts. 11 to 31, oblong- 

 lanceolate, acuminate, acutely serrate, pubescent beneath ; fr. red, with crimson 

 hairs. — A larger shrub than tho former, attaining tho height of 20f, in rocky or 

 low barren places, Can. and U. S. St. with straggling, thick branches. Lvs. 

 at length 2 to 3f long; lfts. sessile, except tho terminal, odd one. Fls. in ter- 

 minal, thyrsoid, denso panicies, yellowish-green, often S $ or $ $ £ . Drupes 

 compressed, compact, tho crimson down very acid. Jn. Tho wood i3 aromatic, 

 of a sulphur-yellow, and used in dyeing. 



p. lacixiata. Lfts. very irregularly coherent and incised; panicles partly 

 transformed into gashed leaves. Hanover, N. II. (Rickard). 

 8 R. pnmila Mx. Procumbent, villous-pubesc-enl ; lfts. 9 to 13, oval or oblong, 

 coarsely toothed ; drupes red, silky-pubescent. — In upper Carolina. Shrub, 

 creeping extensively, with branches 1 to 2f high, bearing a subsessile, terminal, 

 thyrsoid panicle. Lfts. all sessile, clothed with a velvety pubescenco beneath, 

 tho three upper often confluent This species is very poisonous. 



4 R. copallina L. Mountain Sumac. Branches and petioles pubescent; lfts 9. 

 to 2 1 , oval-lanceolate, mostly entire, unequal at base, common petiole winged ; 

 fls. in dense panicles; drupes red, hairy. A smaller shrub, not half the hight, of 

 the last, in dry, rocky places, U. S. and Can. Compound petiole about G' long, 

 expanding into a leafy margin, between each pair of leaflets. Lfts. 1 to 3' long, 

 near \ as wide, dark -green, and shining on the upper surface. Panicles of fls. 

 terminal, sessile, thyrsoid, 2 £ , greenish. Drupes acid. Jl. 



/3. Lfts. coarsely and unequally serrate. N. Y. (Barratt.) 



5 R. venenata DC. Poison Sumac. Dog "Wood. Very glabrous ; lfts. 7 to 13, 

 oval, abruptly acuminate, very entiro ; panicles loose, axillary, pedunculate ; 

 drupes greenish-yellow, smooth. A shrub or small tree of fine appearance, 10 to 

 15f high, in swamps, TJ. S. and Can. Trunk several inches diam., with spread- 

 ing branches above. Petioles wingless, red, G to 10' long. Lfts. about 3' long, 

 \ as wide, sessile, except tho odd one. Panicles axillary, 2 $, thoso of tho 

 barren ones more diffuse. Fls. very small, green. Drupes as largo as peas. Jn. 

 The wholo plant is very poisonous to tho taste or touch, and even taiuts the air 

 to some distance around with its pernicious effluvium. 



6 R. toxicodendron L. Poison Oak. Poison Ivy. Erect, or decumbent ; lva. 

 pubescent ; lfts. 3, broadly oval, acuminate, angular or sinuate-dentate ; fls. in 

 racemous, axillary, subsessile panicles; drupes smooth, roundish. — Can. to tho 

 uplands of Ga. A small, weak shrub, 1 to 3f high, young branches, and lvs. 

 beneath downy. Lfts. 2 to G' long, § as wide, petiolate, the common petiole 4 to 

 5' long. Fls. small, $ £ . Drupes pale-brown. Poisonous, but less so than 

 the last. 



7 R. radicans L. Climbing Ivy. Stems climbing by means of innumerable 

 radicating tendrils; leaflets ovate, smooth, entiro; fls. racemed in axillary 

 panicles. A vigorous, woody climber, ascending trees and other objects 10 to 40 

 or 50f, common in damp woods, Can. and TJ. S- Tho etem becomes 1' to 2' in 



