xxiv. ANACARDIACE^E: .RHU'S. 



189 



tinguished by a more upright habit of growth, and smoother branches 

 and leaves, than R. glabra. The leaves are glaucous underneath; 

 and the fruit is of a rich velvety crimson. 



The general appearance of the species is similar to that of R. typhina ; 

 but the leaves and the entire plant are smaller, the branches more spreading 

 and smooth, and the leaflets wider, less serrated, and of a deeper green. 



& 4. R. VENENA'TA Dec. The poisonous Rhus, Poison Wood, or Swamp Sumach. 



Identification. Dec. Prod., 2. p. 68. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 71. ; Tor. and Gray, 1. p. 218. 



Synonymes. R.vernix. Lin. Spec. 380., Big. Med. Bot. 1. p. 96. t. 10. ; Toxicodendron pinnatum 



Mill. Diet. No. 5. ; Poison Sumach, Poison Elder. 

 Engravings. Wats. Dend. Brit., t. 19. ; and our fig. 284 



Spec. Char., Sf-c. Leaf rather glabrous than pubescent, of 5 6 pairs of leaflets, 

 and the odd one, which are ovate-ianceolate, acuminate, entire, and beneath 

 reticulately veined. (Dec. Prod.) A deciduous shrub. Canada to Georgia, 

 and west to Louisiana, in swamps. Height 15ft. to 20ft. Introd. 1713. 

 Flowers green; July. Berry smooth, greenish white; ripe in ? October. 

 Decaying leaves intense red, or purple. 

 Naked young wood purplish green. 



The leaves are divided like those of R. 

 typhina and R. glabra ; but they are quite 

 different from those of both kinds, in being 

 smooth, shining, and having the leaflets very 

 entire, narrow, and pointed, and the veins of 

 a purplish red colour. The whole shrub is 

 in a high degree poisonous ; and the poison is 

 communicated by touching or smelling any 

 part of it. In British gardens it is not very 

 common ; but it well deserves culture, on 

 account of the beauty of its smooth shining 

 foliage at all seasons, and of its almost un- 

 paralleled splendour in the autumn, from the 

 time that the leaves begin to change colour, 

 till they ultimately drop off, of an intense 

 purple or scarlet, with the first frost. 



* 5. R. CORIA^RIA Lin. The hide-tanning Rhus, or the Elm-leaved Sumach. 



Identification. Lin. Spec., 379. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 67. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 70. 



Derivation. CoriSria alludes to the use made of this plant by the Romans, and also by theTurk, 



in tanning leather. 

 Engravings. N. Du Ham., 2. t. 46. ; Wats. Dend. Brit., 1. 136. ; and ourj^s. 285. and 286. 



Spec. Char., $c. Leaf villose, of 5 7 

 pairs of leaflets, and the odd one ; 

 leaflets elliptical, and toothed with 

 large and blunt teeth. The petiole 

 smooth at the tip, a little margined. 

 (Dec. Prod.) A deciduous shrub or 

 low tree. Portugal to Tauria, on 

 rocks in exposed situations. Height 

 1 5 ft. to 20 ft. Introduced in 1629 

 Flowers whitish 

 green, in large 

 loose panicles ; 

 July and August. 

 Fruit red ; ripe 

 in October, rare 

 in England. De- 

 cayingleavespur- 

 plish red. sse. R. 



The general habit of this plant resembles that of R. typhina ; but it is 



