180 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1757. 



the species of toxicodendron to the genus of rhus, many of which have their 

 male flowers growing on different plants from the fruit; and therefore would 

 more properly come into his 22d class of dioecia, than his 5th of pentandria, 

 into which he ranges the rhus. At the bottom of the characters of that genus 

 he has added a note, to show the varnish-tree is so. But as there are several 

 other species, which agree in this essential character of distinction; so, accord- 

 ing to the Linnean system, they should be separated from the rhus, with an- 

 other generical title. 



Mr. Ellis observes, on the poetical description, which he says Koempfer has 

 given of the leaves of the wild varnish-tree turning red in the autumn, that he 

 had not found it to be the case of the tree growing in the stove at Busbridge. 

 How it appeared in that situation, I know not: but the leaves of all those which 

 are growing in the Chelsea-garden, and stand in the open air, do constantly 

 change to a purple colour in the autumn, before they fall off from the shrub: 

 but those of the true varnish-tree are much more remarkable for the deepness of 

 their colour. 



Mr. Ellis says, he had received a letter from Dr. Sibthorp, professor of botany 

 at Oxford, in which the Doctor informs him, that there is no specimen of the 

 true varnish-tree in the Sherardian collection at Oxford; but that there is one of 

 fasi-no-ki, or spurious varnish-tree of Koempfer. How the Doctor could write 

 so, I cannot conceive; for I am very sure there was no specimen of the latter in 

 that collection while it remained in London, having myself often viewed that 

 part of it: and sure I am Dr. Dillenius never added that synonym to the former: 

 and I do believe the latter was no other way known in Europe, than by Koemp- 

 fer s figure and description of it, excepting that specimen of Koempfer's now in 

 the British Museum. 



I find Mr. Ellis is inclinable to think, that the poison-ash,, as it is called by 

 the gardeners, is the same with the fasi-no-ki, or spurious varnish-tree of 

 Koempfer. The difference between these shrubs does not consist in small and 

 minute particulars, but the most obvious striking marks of distinction appear at 

 first sight ; for the poison-ash has rarely more than 3 or 4 pair of lobes to each 

 leaf, terminated by an odd one; in which particular it agrees with the true var- 

 nish-tree of Koempfer; whereas in the figure which Koempfer has given of the 

 spurious varnish-tree, the leaves of 7 or 8 pair of lobes terminated by an odd one: 

 and this figure, as I before observed, is drawn from a flowering branch. Every 

 one, who is the least acquainted with these things, knows, that the leaves imme- 

 diately below the flowers are considerably less than those on the lower part of 

 the branches; therefore this is a more essential note of distinction than those 

 mentioned by Mr. Ellis. 



I must also observe, that Mr. Ellis would suggest, that I supposed these 2 



