136 TREES OF NEW ENGLAND. 



Rhus Vernix, L. 



Rhus venenata, DC. 



DOGWOOD. POISON SUMAC. POISON ELDER. 



Habitat and Range. Low grounds and swamps ; occasional 

 on the moist slopes of hills. 



Infrequent in Ontario. 



Maine, local and apparently restricted to the southwestern 

 sections ; as far north as Chesterville (Franklin county) ; 

 Vermont, infrequent ; common throughout the other New 

 England states, especially near the seacoast. 



South to northern Florida ; west to Minnesota and Louisiana. 



Habit. A handsome shrub or small tree, 5-20 feet high ; 

 trunk sometimes 8-10 inches in diameter ; broad-topped in 

 the open along the edge of swamps ; conspicuous in autumn 

 by its richly colored foliage and diffusely panicled, pale, 

 yellowish-white fruit. 



Bark. Trunk and branches mottled gray, roughish with 

 round spots ; branchlets light brown ; season's shoots reddish 

 at first, turning later to gray, thickly beset with rough yellow- 

 ish warts ; leaf -scars prominent, triangular. 



Buds and Leaves. Buds small, roundish. Leaves pinnately 

 compound, alternate ; rachis abruptly widened at base ; leaf- 

 lets 5-13, opposite, short-stalked except the odd one, 2-3 inches 

 long, 1-2 inches wide, smooth, light green and mostly glossy 

 when young, becoming dark green and often dull, obovate to 

 oval or ovate ; entire, often wavy -margined ; apex acute, acu- 

 minate, or obtuse ; base mostly obtuse or rounded ; veins promi- 

 nent, often red ; stipules none. 



Inflorescence. Early in July. Near the tips of the branches, 

 in loose, axillary clusters of small greenish flowers; sterile, 

 fertile, and perfect flowers on the same tree, or occasionally 

 sterile and fertile on separate trees ; calyx deeply 5-parted, 

 divisions ovate, acute ; petals 5, oblong; stamens 5, exserted in 

 the sterile flowers ; ovary globose, styles 3. 



