RHUS 391 



obovate, and ii to 3 ins. long, the side ones about half as big ; all coarsely 

 toothed, lower surface very downy. Flowers yellowish, in dense roundish 

 clusters ^ to f in. across, produced in April at the end of short stalks on the 

 shoots of the preceding year. Fruits red, hairy, about the size of small 

 red currants. 



Var. TRILOBATA, A. Gray (R. trilobata). Leaves smaller, the leaflets 

 i to i in. long, the terminal one often fan-shaped with a few comparatively 

 large lobes. They are rather unpleasantly scented, and the shrub is some- 

 times known as i' Skunk bush." Sometimes regarded as a distinct species. 



The type is a native of the eastern United States ; introduced in 1759, 

 and still occasionally seen in shrubberies. It is rather pretty in spring, 

 when its twigs are clothed with the abundant yellow flowers, and its scented 

 foliage is handsome and distinct. Var. trilobata has a more \\ estern dis- 

 tribution, and is found in Texas, California, British Columbia, etc. 



F. COPALLINA, Linnceus. DWARF SUMACH. 



A deciduous shrub, rarely more than 4 ft. high in this country, but said to 

 become a small tree 25 to 30 ft. high in the southern United States ; branchlets 

 covered with a fine reddish down. Leaves pinnate, composed of nine to 

 fifteen (occasionally more) leaflets, the common stalk being winged on both 

 sides between the leaflets, which are stalkless (or the basal ones shortly 

 stalked), lanceolate, 2 to 2j ins. long, rarely toothed ; dark glossy green above, 

 paler and downy beneath," the lower leaflets the smallest. Flowers greenish 

 yellow, unisexual, produced in crowded pyramidal panicles 4 to 6 ins. long, 

 3 to 4 ins. wide, the female panicle normally the smaller. Fruit bright red, 

 hairy. 



Widely spread in Eastern N. America, this species varies considerably in 

 a wild state. The form cultivated in Britain is, no doubt, the shrubby 

 Northern one. American writers describe it as being of singular beauty, its 

 foliage dying off a rich reddish purple which, with the scarlet fruits of the 

 female tree, gives a charming combination of colour. It flowers in July and 

 August. Introduced to England and cultivated in the Fulham Palace grounds 

 in 1688. Distinct because of its entire leaflets and winged stalk. 



R. COTINOIDES, Nuttall. CHITTAM WOOD. 



(Cotinus cotinoides, Britton?) 



A deciduous shrub or small tree, as much as 30 ft. high in a wild state, its 

 trunk i ft. or more in diameter ; in this country usually under 15 ft. high, 

 the young vigorous shoots and leaves often reddish purple. Leaves simple, 

 obovate or oval, varying much in size according to the age and vigour of the 

 plant, but ordinarily 2 to 5 ins. long, rather more than half as wide ; tapering 

 to the stalk (which is \ to i^ ins. long), but broad and rounded at the apex. 

 In the female plant the flowers are borne on a large, sparse, terminal panicle, 

 6 to 12 ins. long, three-fourths as wide. The larger proportion of the final 

 ramifications of the inflorescence do not carry a flower, but are mere thread- 

 like stalks clothed with fine hairs. Fruit \ in. long, very sparsely produced. 

 The male plant has the inflorescence better set with flowers. 



This remarkable species is found in a few isolated localities in Tennessee, 

 Alabama, and other south-eastern United States, but is nowhere common. 

 First discovered by Nuttall in 1819, it did not reach this country until 1882, 

 when it was sent to Kew by Prof. Sargent. In the beauty of its inflorescences 

 it is very much inferior to R. Cotinus, but, on the other hand, it is one of 

 the loveliest of all shrubs in autumn, its leaves turning to various shades of 



