198 Trees with Compound Leaves. [D n 



A small tree, ten to thirty feet high (or often a shrub), 

 with straggling and evenly spreading branches that are 

 leaved mostly toward their ends, giving an umbrella-like 

 look to the tree. The wood is very soft and brittle ; 

 yellow within ; the sap-wood white. The young shoots, 

 with the pith removed, are used in the spring as " sap 

 quills" in drawing the sap from the sugar maples. The 

 downy and irregular branchlets are suggestive of the 

 horns of a stag, whence the name. 



An infusion of the berries is sometimes used as a 

 gargle for sore-throat. 



This species is not poisonous. 



A variety with deeply gashed leaves (var. lacini&ta) 

 is reported from Hanover, N. H. 



Fig. 100. Poison Sumach, Poison Dogwood, Poison Elder. 



R. venenata, D. C. 



Leaves, COMPOUND (odd-feathered ; leaflets, seven to thir- 

 teen) ; ALTERNATE J EDGE OF LEAFLETS ENTIRE. 



Outline of leaflet, long oval or egg-shape. Base, rounded 

 or pointed. Apex, taper-pointed. 



Leaflet-stems, short and purplish, or lacking. Leaf-stem, 

 smooth, reddish throughout to the end of leaflet, not 

 winged. 



Leaflets, thin ; one and a half to three inches long ; about 

 one half as wide ; smooth. 



Branches and stalks, smooth. 



Flowers, greenish ; in long, loose bunches at the bases of 

 the upper leaves. 



Berries, rounded, greenish-white, smooth, shining, dry, 

 about the size of a small pea. September. 



