217 



SUMACH. — RHUS. 



Natural order, Dumosce. Terebintacece, Juss. 

 A genus of the Pentandria Trigynia class. 



" Let fancy lead, 



And be it ours to follow, and admire, 



As well we may, the graces infinite 



Of nature." Hurdis. 



" Not a flower 



But shows some touch, in freckle, streak, or stain, 

 Of his unrivalled pencil. He inspires 

 Their balmy odours, and imparts their hues, 

 And bathes their eyes with nectar, and includes, 

 In grains as countless as the sea-side sands, 

 The forms with which he sprinkles all the earth." 



The name of Sumach for this shrub is the 

 same by which it is distinguished by the 

 Arabs. The Greeks called it Povg, rhus, and 

 rhous, from the verb rheo, I run, or flow, on ac- 

 count of the nature of the root, which spreads 

 itself to a great distance, sending up nume- 

 rous suckers. The Latins followed the Greek 

 name of this plant ; but as its seed was an- 

 ciently used for seasoning meat instead of salt* 



