284 ORDER 38. ANACARDIACE^E. 



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

 abortion, imperfect. 



Leaves simple. Flowers perfect (or all abortive in cultivation) Xos. 9, 10 



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-foliate loaves, (b) 



b Common petiole winged between the leaflets No. -1 



b Common petiole, not winged JSos. 13 



1 R. glabraL. Lvs. and Iranches glabrous ; Ifts. 11 to 31, lanceolate, acuminate, 

 acutely serrate, whitish beneath; fr. red with crimson hairs. Thickets and waste 

 ground, U. S. and Can. Shrub, 6 to 15f high, consisting of many straggling 

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

 odd one. Fls. in terminal, thyrsoid, dense panicles, greenish-red, 5 $ . Fertile 

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

 tains malic acid (bi-malate of lime, Prof. Rogers), extemely sour to the taste, 

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

 dyo red. 



2 R. typhina L. Branches and petioles densely mUous ; Ifts. 11 to 31, oblong- 

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

 hairs. A larger shrub than the former, attaining the height of 20fj in rocky or 

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

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

 minal, thyrsoid, denso panicles, yellowish-green, often ? $ or 5 $ $ . Drupes 

 compressed, compact, the crimson down very acid. Jn. The wood is aromatic, 

 of a sulphur-yellow, and used in dyeing. 



(3. LACINIATA. Lfts. very irregularly coherent and incised; panicles partly 

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



3 R. prnnila MX. Procumbent, villous-pubescent ; Ifts. 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 pubescence beneath, 

 the three upper often confluent. This species is very poisonous. 



4 R. copallina L. MOUNTAIN SUMAC. Branches and petioles pubescent; Ifts {?. 

 to 21, oval-lanceolate, mostly entire, unequal at base, common petiole ivinged; 

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

 Numb. 2, in dry, rocky places, U. S. and Can. Compound petiole about 6' 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 fla. 

 terminal, sessile, thyrsoid, $ $ , greenish. Drupes acid. Jl. 



ft. Lfts. coarsely and unequally serrate. N. Y. (Barratt.) 



5 R. venenata DC. POISON SUMAC. DOG WOOD. Very glabrous; Ifts. 7 to 13, 

 ' oval, abruptly acuminate, very entire ; panicles loose, axiliary, pedunculate ; 



drupes greenish-3 r ellow, smooth. A shrub or small tree of fine appearance, 10 to 

 15f high, in swamps, U. 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 the odd one. Panicles axillary, $ $ , those of the 

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

 The whole plant is very poisonous to the taste or touch, and even taints the air 

 to some distance around with its pernicious effluvium. 



6 R. toxicodendron L. POISON OAK. POISON IVY. Erect, or decumbent ; Ivs. 

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

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

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

 beneath down}-. Lfts. 2 to 6' long, f as wide, petiolate, the common petiole 4 to 

 6' 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, entire; 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 U. S. Tho stem becomes 1' to 2' in 



