0473 



CORIARIA. 



Family: TEREBINTH family? [Translator's note: now in Coriariaceae] . 

 Reproductive system: DlOECY, DECANDRY. 



The myrtle-leaved coriaria, Coriaria myrtifolia, Linn., is a shrub that I've found to 

 be plentiful in the district around Grasse. It forms attractive grassy bushes in early spring. 

 The flexible branches are quadrangular and have leaves that are opposite, simple, oval, 

 entire, and smooth. The flowers are very numerous and form small clusters with bracts at 

 the ends of the branches. They're monoecious, dioecious, or hermaphroditic. The calyx is 

 simple and has five sections. There are eight or ten stamens that have short filaments. The 

 pistil consists of five ovaries fused at the base and surmounted by five styles that are 

 much longer than the stamens. The fruit is a capsule with five monospermous 

 compartments. 



FLOWERS: in April. 



RANGE: the vicinity of Grasse and Nice and some parts of Languedoc. 



NOMENCLATURE. Coriaria comes from coriarius, a currier, because its leaves 

 are used for tanning leather. German, der gerberstrauch, der gerberbaum. Danish, 

 laedertraee. Dutch, rederboom. English, the myrtle-leav'd sumach. Spanish, rulda. 



USES. In the Levant the powdered leaves are used for dyeing morocco leather 

 black and for tanning leather. The fruit is poisonous; when eaten it causes convulsions 

 and a delirium that often is fatal. The leaves likewise are very injurious to livestock. 



CULTIVATION. This bush is readily propagated from suckers and from seeds. 

 However in our climate it's vulnerable to severe frosts. 



