SUMACH. 



RHUS. 



CASSUVI*. PBNTANDRIA TRIGVNIA. 



French, sumac ; Italian, sumacho. 



THERE are several species of Sumach in our English 

 plantations, of which the principal are the following. 



The Elm-leaved Sumach, Rhus coriaria, French, 

 Sitmac cTEurope, Redoul, Roudou, Rouvre des Cor- 

 rvycurs; Le Finagrier ; Italian, Sommaco, grows about 

 ten feet high ; the flowers grow in spikes ; they are of a 

 greenish white, and blow in July. This species is a 

 native of the Levant, Italy, Spain, the south of France, 

 &c. : it was cultivated in the Botanic Garden at Oxford 

 in 1648. The branches are used for tanning leather; 

 and it has been said that Turkey leather is all tanned 

 with this shrub. Ground in a mill, sumach is also used in 

 dyeing, instead of galls. The Tripoli merchants sell the 

 seeds at Aleppo, where they are in common use, to pro- 

 voke appetite. 



The Venice Red, or Silken Sumach, Rhus cotinus, 

 French, Fustet, Coquesigrue , Italian, Scotamo, grows 

 about twelve feet high : the leaves are simple, (in which 

 respect it differs from most of the species, the leaves 

 being generally pinnate,) about two inches long, and the 

 same in width ; the flowers are white and numerous ; 

 they blow in July- It is a native of many parts of Eu- 

 rope, the Levant and Siberia, and was cultivated by 



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