Rhus. ANACARDIACE^. 129 



2. Rhus glabra, Linn. " Smooth Sumach. 



Leaves and branches smooth ; leaflets in numerous pairs, lanceolate-oblong, acuminate, 

 acutely serrate, whitish and glaucous underneath ; panicles terminal, thyrsoid ; fruit clothed 

 with short velvety crimson hairs. — Miclix. fl. \. p. iii2 ; Fursh, jl. 1. p. 204 ; Torr. Jl. 1. 

 p. 322 ; Bigel. ft. Bost. p. 118; DC. prodr. 2. p. 67 ; Darlingt.fl. Cest. p. 206 ; Hook. fi. 

 Bor.-Am. 1. p. 126; Torr. ^ Gr. ft. N. Am. 1. p. 217. R. Caroliniana, Mill. diet. li. 

 •elegans. Ait. Kew. {cd. I.) p. 162. R. Virginicura, &c. Catesb. Car. app. t. 4. 



A shrub 5-15 feet high, with straggling smooth branches. Leaflets in 6-15 pairs, 

 2-3 inches long, sometimes only obscurely serrated ; common petiole 12-18 inclies long. 

 Flowers often dioecious. Sepals lanceolate, acute. Petals greenish-yellow. Fruit of a fine 

 crimson color ; the pubescence consisting of short conical acute and shining hairs, containing 

 a pleasant acid subi^tance which Prof. W. B. Rogers has ascertained to be bimalate of hme. 

 See Amer.journ. of pharmaci/, {n. ser.) 1. p. 56. 



Common in rocky barren places, and in old fields. Fl. Early in July - August. Fr. Sep- 

 tember - October. An infusion of the fruit is used as a pleasant cooling drink in fevers. 

 The leaves of this and the preceding species abound in tannic acid, and are employed for 

 tanning morocco. See Wood <^ Backers U. S. Dispcris. p. 556. 



3. Rhu.s Copallina, Linn. _ . . - Mountain Sumach. 



Branches and petioks pubescent ; leaflets in many pairs, oval-lanceolate or oblong, mostly 

 acute or acuminate, shining above, pubescent beneath, unequal at the base ; petiole winged ; 

 panicles terminal, thyrsoid, sessile ; fruit red, hairy. — Torr. ^- Gr. ft. N. Am. 1. p. 217. 



var. 1 : leaflets entire, usually acuminate. — Torr. <^ Gr. I. c. R. Copallina, Linn.; Walt, 

 ft. Car. p. 225 ; Jacq. Jiort. Schoenb. 3. p. 50. t. 341 ; Michw. ft. 1. p. 182 ; Fursh, ft. 1. 

 p. 205; EU.sk. 1.;;. 362; Torr. ft. l.p. 323; Bigel. ft. Bost. p. 119 ; DC. prodr. 2. p. 68; 

 Darling t. ft. Cest. p. 206. 



var. 2 : leaflets coarsely and unequally serrate. — Torr. <^ Gr. I. c. 



A shrub 3-8 feet high, with numerous spreading branches. Leaflets mostly 4-6, but 

 sometimes as many as 10 pairs, 1-2 inches long, in var. 1. entire or only a little waved on 

 the margin : common petiole with the margin either slightly or broadly winged, contracted at 

 the insertion of the leaflets. Panicles usually only terminal, but sometimes there arc several 

 small panicles in the axils of the uppermost leaves, larger and more open in the sterile than in 

 the fertile plant. Flowers greenisli-yellow. Sepals ovate. Petals oblong, 4 times as long 

 as the sepals. Fruit compressed, thinly clothed with short slender hairs, strongly acid and 

 somewhat bitter. 



Rocky and sterile hills. August. Fruit ripe in September. The second variety I have 

 found only in the Highlands around West-Point. 



[Flora.] 17 



