198 WEEDS OF THE FARM AND GARDEN 



ornamental plant and frequently found in old cemeteries. 

 It has become quite widely scattered so as to be regarded 

 in many places as a weed. 



Cashew Family (Anacardiaceae). Trees or shrubs 

 characterized by acrid properties, milky or resinous juice, 

 alternate or opposite leaves and small regular flowers 

 which are frequently polygamous ; calyx three to seven- 

 cleft; petals as many as the divisions of the calyx; 

 stamens as many or twice as many as the petals and in- 

 serted at the base of the disk ; ovary one, sometimes four 

 or five-celled, with one ovule in each cell; styles one to 

 three, fruit generally a small drupe. 



Poison Ivy (Rhus Toxicodendron, L.). A twining or 

 trailing shrub of rather attractive appearance, but dis- 

 tinguished from other vines which resemble it somewhat 

 by its compound leaf of three leaflets ; by means of aerial 

 rootlets it is enabled to cling to trees or other objects for 

 support; flowers small and inconspicuous; fruit waxy, 

 frequently remaining on the plant until late winter or 

 early spring; leaves somewhat resemble the box-elder and 

 Virginia creeper, both of which, however, have five leaf- 

 lets ; every part of the plant possesses irritating proper- 

 ties to which some people are very sensitive ; others seem 

 to be immune. However, this is known as one of our 

 most poisonous plants, death sometimes resulting from 

 contact with it. Sugar of lead in solution applied to the 

 affected parts is the usual antidote for ivy poisoning. 

 Common everywhere in the state. 



Soapberry Family (Sapindaceae). Trees or shrubs 

 with simple or compound leaves ; flowers perfect, polyga- 

 mous, regular or irregular ; calyx of four or five sepals ; 

 petals of the same number or none ; stamens inserted on 

 a fleshy disk, hypogynous or perigynous, five to ten; 

 ovary two to three-celled and lobed, exalbuminous or al- 

 buminous; cotyledons folded, convolute or straight. 

 About 1,100 species, widely distributed in temperate 



