388 ANACARDIACEAE. [VOL. II. 



6. Rhus Vernix L. Poison Sumac. Poison Elder. (Fig. 2352.) 



Rhus Vernix I,. Sp. PI. 265. 1753. 



Toxicodendron pinnatum Mill. Card. Diet 

 Ed. 8, no. 4. 1768. 



Rhus renenata DC. Prodr. a: 68. 1825. 



A shrub or small tree, with maximum 

 height of 25 and trunk diameter of 6'. 

 Leaves petioled, pinnate, 6'-i5' long, gla- 

 brous or somewhat puberulent; leaflets 7- 

 13, thin, obovate, oval, or the lowest ovate, 

 2'-4' long, \'-i%' wide, green both sides, 

 entire, short-acuminate at the apex, nar- 

 rowed or rounded at the base, short-stalked; 

 rachis terete; flowers green, about i" 

 broad, in loose axillary panicles 3 / -8 / long; 

 drupe globose-oblong, 2" in diameter, 

 gray, glabrous; stone striate. 



In swamps, southern Ontario and near the 

 coast in the Eastern and Middle States, south 

 to Florida, west to Minnesota, Missouri and 

 Louisiana. Very poisonous. Wood soft, yel- 

 lowish lirown; weight per cubic foot 27 Ibs. 

 June. Called also Poison Ash, Swamp or 

 Poison Dogwood. 



7. Rhus radicans L. 



Poison, Climbing or Three-leaved Ivy. 

 Climath. (Fig. 2353.) 



Poison Oak. 



Rhus radicans L. Sp. PI. 266. 1753. 

 Rhus Toxicodendron of American authors, 



in part, not L. 

 Toxicodendron vulgare Mill. Card. Diet. 



Ed. 8, no. i. 1768. 



A woody vine, climbing by numerous 

 aerial rootlets, or erect and bushy, the 

 stem sometimes 3 / -4 / in diameter. 

 'Leaves petioled, 3-foliolate, more or less 

 pubescent, especially beneath; leaflets 

 ovate or rhombic, i'-4' long, entire or 

 sparingly dentate or sinuate, acute or 

 short-acuminate at the apex, the lateral 

 sessile or short-stalked, inequilateral, the 

 terminal one stalked, rounded or nar- 

 Towed at the base; flowers green, \ l /i" 

 'broad, in loose axillary panicles, i f -$' 

 long; fruit similar to that of the preceding. 



Thickets and along fences, etc., often as- 

 pending high trees, Nova Scotia to Brit- 

 ish Columbia, south to Florida, Arkansas 

 and Utah. Ascends to 2200 ft. in Virginia. 

 Very poisonous. May-June. 



Rhus Toxicodendron L., is a shrub of the 

 Southern States, with crenately-lobed very 

 pubescent leaflets. 



2. COTINUS Adans. Fam. PI. 2: 345. 1763. 



Shrubs or small trees, with alternate petioled ovate oval or obovate entire leaves, and 

 small polygamous slender-pedicelled flowers in large terminal panicles. Calyx 5-parted, the 

 segments imbricated, obtuse. Petals longer than the calyx, imbricated. Stamens 5. Ovary 

 obovoid; styles 3, lateral; stigmas very small. Drupe obliquely oblong or oval, compressed, 

 gibbous, i-seeded. Seed nearly as in Rhus. [Greek name of the oleaster, or wild olive.] 



Two known species, the following of southeastern North America, the other of Europe and Asia. 



