320 



PBACTICAL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS 



BHUS 



will flourish in almost any soil. The 

 leaves look very ornamental in autumn 

 when they assume a rich yellow colour, 

 often turning to bronzy-purple. Seeds are 

 freely produced. 



R. g^labra (iJ. caroliniana; B. cocci- 

 nea; B. elegans ; B. sanguinea). — A 

 beautiful N. American shrub 5-8 ft. high, 

 with smooth leaves divided into 17-21 

 lance-shaped oblong serrate leaflets, whitish 

 beneath. They assume rich red tints in 

 autumn. Flowers in June, males greenish- 

 yellow, females greenish-red. Seeds are 

 freely produced, and the clusters of fruits 

 look very handsome during the autumn 

 and winter months. The variety laci.niata 

 (known as the ' Fern-leaved Sumach ') is 

 very elegant, with beautifully cut and 

 divided leaflets longer and broader than 

 in the type. 



Culture tic. as above, p. 319. 



R. Michauxi. — A native of the South 

 United States having erect stems 2-3 ft. 

 high, and spreading extensively by means 

 of underground creeping rootstocks. The 

 leaves are pinnately divided, but the 

 beauty of the plant consists largely in the 

 bright scarlet pj'ramidal fruit clusters, 

 which are clothed with a silky down. 



Culture dc. as above. This species is 

 not yet well known, but it may become a 

 very popular plant, should it prove quite 

 hardy in this country. 



R. Osbecki. ' — A very distinct and 

 handsome shrub, native of China and 

 Japan, where it attains a height of about 

 20 ft. The large pinnate leaves are com- 

 posed of 5 or more pairs of leaflets, some 

 of which are about 6 in. long and 4-5 in. 

 broad, with large blunt teeth on the 

 margins, and a short down beneath. The 

 leaf stalk in between the leaflets is winged 

 as iniJ. copallina, andin autumn the foliage 

 assumes beautiful tints of red and orange, 

 which are more vivid in favourable 

 seasons. The unattractive flowers are 

 produced in July and August in large 

 clusters at the ends of the branches, and 

 seeds are freely produced. 



Culture li'c. as above. 



R. succedanea {Bed Lac Sumach). — 

 A beautiful Japanese shrub 10-15 ft. high, 

 with smooth leaves over 1 ft. long 

 and divided into several pairs of ovate 

 lanoe-shaped tapering leaflets, netted with 

 veins, glaucous beneath. Flowers in sum- 



mer, greenish-yellow, succeeded by white 

 Cherry-like fruits. 



Culture de. as above. This species is 

 usually grown in a cool greenhouse, but 

 will grow well out of doors in the milder 

 parts of the country. It is remarkable for 

 the beautiful reddish and crimson tints of 

 the young leaves, which turn green as 

 they develop, but again assume coloured 

 hues in autumn before they fall. 



R. Toxicodendron {Poison Ivy ; Poison 

 OaJc). — A somewhat climbing N. American 

 and Japanese species with leaves divided 

 into 3 leaflets, 1^-6 in. long, rhomboid- 

 ovate, pointed, rather downy beneath, 

 variously notched and lobed. Flowers 

 in June, greenish-yellow. 



Culture Sc. as above. This remarkable 

 plant should be carefully handled, as it has 

 poisonous effects on some people. The 

 variety rad/icoMS has leaves almost or quite 

 entire. In shady places both species and 

 variety may be allowed to ramble over 

 rocks or boulders, tree stumps &c., looking 

 very pretty in autumn with the pm^le-red 

 coloured foliage. Seeds are freely pro- 

 duced. 



R. trichocarpa. — A beautiful shrub or 

 small tree recently introduced from 

 Japan, where it grows 20-25 ft. high. 

 The leaves are about 20 in. long with deep 

 red midribs, and broadly ovate, tapering 

 leaflets, which assume bright scarlet and 

 orange tints in autumn in a \vild state. 

 The unattractive flowers are produced 

 in July, and give place later on to droop- 

 ing clusters of large prickly drupes. 



Culture Sc. as above. Only small 

 plants are at present in cultivation, and, 

 according to Mr. Bean, they have coloured 

 well at Kew. Should this species prove 

 hardy m our climate, and colour well, it 

 will be a great acquisition for producing 

 fine effects in autumn. 



R. typhina {Stag's Horn Sumach; 

 Vinegar Tree). — A weU-known N. Ameri- 

 can tree 10-80 ft. high, with large hairy 

 pinnate leaves and densely hau-y thick 

 shoots. Leaflets 11-31, glaucous beneath, 

 oblong lanoe-shaped, pointed, deeply ser- 

 rate, the veins and main raohis clothed 

 with velvety rusty hairs. Flowers in 

 June and July, greenish-yellow, in erect 

 cone-like clusters, the male and female 

 flowers bemg borne on separate plants. 

 Seeds are freely produced, and the fruit 

 clusters being clothed with deep crimson 

 or dull reddish hairs look very attractive 



