0561 



SUMAC. 



Family: TEREBINTH FAMILY. [Translator's note: now in Anacardiaceae] 

 Reproductive system: PENTANDRY, TRIGYNY. 



The common smoke tree, Rhus cotinus, Linn., is a shrub seven or eight feet tall 

 with smooth bark and yellow wood. The branches are twisted. They're full of leaves that 

 are simple, rounded, ovoid, smooth, green above and whitish underneath. The flowers 

 form panicles on the ends of the branches. The calyx has five sections, the corolla five 

 petals, and there are five stamens. The ovary is free; it has three styles and turns into a 

 drupe that contains a monospermous pit. The bare pedicels become very haiiy after the 

 flowers bloom, which gives the panicles a feathery appearance. 



FLOWERS: in July and August. 



RANGE: hillsides in the southern provinces, at Grenoble and Les Baux near Gap. 



NOMENCLATURE. Cotinus is the name that Pliny used to describe a tree in the 

 Apennines. German, fustet, fusteL English, the venu's sumach. Italian, cottino, rossolo. 

 Russian, scheltoe derewzo. Tatar, beige, welgy. 



The staghom sumac, Rhus typhinum, Linn, is a large shrub distinguished by 

 beautiful panicles of purple flowers. The leaves are pinnate with seven or nine pairs of 

 oblong pointed leaflets. They have sharp teeth on their margins, are whitish underneath, 

 and are suspended on hairy petioles. The branches likewise are covered with reddish hair 

 that's soft to the touch. 



FLOWERS: in July. 



RANGE: North America; they're quite widespread in our parks and gardens. 



