ITaxdeook of Trees of the Xoeteie.rn States and Ca]\tada. 311 



The Poison Sumach is geueiMlly Rtiguiatized 

 as being the most poisonous American tree. 

 It rarely attains the height of 20 or 30 ft. and 

 its short trunk, occasionally S or 10 in. in 

 diameter, forks near the ground and sends up 

 a few large branches which form a wide open 

 top. It is much more conunon as a large 

 shrub than a tree. Fortunately its home is 

 exclusively swamps and the low miry banks of 

 streams, as though nature were making an 

 effort to keep it in places least frequented by 

 human beings, who are ea-y victims to its 

 poisonous emanations. Vet, in strange con- 

 tradiction, it IS given a foliage and pearl-like 

 fruit of rare beauty \Ahich tempt the unsus- 

 pecting, and then it poisons him who touches, 

 unless he happens to he innnune as some peo- 

 ple are.- It is occasionally found skirting 

 the Ijorder^ of ponds, where in autumn the 

 glory of it- brilliant red and orange tints '^ 

 doubled Ity reliection i]i tlieir waters, and the 

 beauty of such a scene is rarely forgotten. 



Its wood is light, a cubic font Avhen abso- 

 lutely dry. weighing 27.30 lbs.. toTigh and of a. 

 golden yellow color streaked with tint^ of 

 brown and green and with clear white sap- 

 wood.^ 



Leaves 7-14 in. lone: and witli 7-1.3 short-pptlo- 

 late ovate-oblong or oljoyatp entire leaflets (the 

 terminal one often 2 or 8-Iobed) obtuse or acute 

 and uneqnal at base and mostly acuminate at apex, 

 lustrous dark green above, paler and promiaently 

 veined beneath. Flniccrs (June) ypllow-green, V^^ 

 in. across, in long loose axilary panielps. Fniit 

 ripens in Septfrnbor and often hangs from leafloss 

 branches in thp winti'i'. in long loose panicles ; 

 drupe compressed glolmsp, about ^i in. in di- 

 ampter. shining ivory white or grayish ; stone 

 striated. 



1. Syn. lOitis venenata deC. 



2. Drs. Seward and Wakelcy. of Orange. N. .T., 

 tell me that they find in the fluid extract of 

 G-rinrJelia rohusta an almost infallible remedy 

 against the poisoning of Poison Sumach, Ivy. and 

 the allied species. They administer it both as 

 an internal remedy {in doses of one drop every 

 two hours) and as' a topical applicant. 



