

PENTANBBIA <FRIGYN*A 205 



Shrubby, or subkerbaceous : leaves opposite, odd-pinnate, or pseuds pinnate; 

 'fraflets serrate, or laciniate, stipular, or glandular, atbaso; flowers cymose, or 

 thyrsoid, terminal. Nat* Ord. 191. Lindl. Caprifoliacejb. 

 I. 8. canadensis, L. Stem suffruticose ; leaves odd-pinnate ; leaflets 

 oblong-oval, acuminate, serrate ; cymes spreading, 5-parted» Beck, 

 Sot. p. 155. Not of Marshall. 

 $. 5I0RA. Jlfarsh. Arbust. p. 141. Not of Linn. 

 Canadian Sambucus. Vulgo — Elder-bush. Common Elder. 



Root peronnial. Stem 5 to 8 or 10 feet high, at length shrubby, filled with a large 

 pith, branching ; branchos swelled at the joints, the young ones virgate. Leaves 

 pinnate ; leaflets usually in 3 pairs with a terminal odd one, 2 to 4 inches long, and 

 1 to 2 inches wide, the torminalone often obovate, all acaminate, and sharply ser- 

 rate, on short petioles, sprinkled with hairs above, paler and somewhat pubescent 

 beneath, the nerves pilose on both sides ; stipules often wanting. Cymes spread- 

 ing, 5 to 8 inchesi>road, terminating the young branches, on peduncles 4 to 6 In- 

 ches long. Calyx-segments sometimes 6 or 7, lance-oblong, rather acute, colored. 

 Corolla white, sometimes 6 or 7-cleft; lobes ovate, spreading, or re volute. Stam- 

 ens sometimes 6 or 7> rather shorter than the corolla. Berries numerous, small, 

 juicy, dark purple, or nearly black, when mature. 

 Hab. Fence rows, and thickets: common. Fl. June. Pr. August. 



Obs. This is rather a troublesomo plant, on our farms,— the long roots being 

 very tenacious of life, and inclined to spread extensively along fence-rows, and 

 hedges. The inner bark is a popular ingredient in making ointments, for sores ; 

 and an infusion of the bruised leaves is often used, by gardeners, to expel insects 

 from young vines. Tho ripe berries, according to Mr. Cozzens, afford a delicate 

 re-agent, or chemical test, for detecting acids and alkalies. See Annals of N. Y. 

 Lyceum, Vol. 1. p. 44. Thorc is one othorspecies in the U. States (S.pubens, Jl£r.) 

 which I have seen about Mauch Chunk, on the mountains,— with the flowers in 

 thyrsoid panicles, — and boaring scarlet berries, which are mature at the time 

 this species is in flowor. 



|>. Ovary superior : Corolla pentapetalous. 



159. RHUS. L. JSTutt. Gen. 292. 

 [Greek, Rhoos>—or Celtic, Rhudd,— red ; from the color of the fruit."] 



Dioicously Polygamous: Calyx small, 5-parted, persistent. Petals 

 5, lance-ovate, spreading. Sterile Fl. Stamens 5, mostly shorter 

 than the petals. Stigmas mostly 3, obtuse, subsessile. Ovary abor- 

 tive. Fertile Fl. Stamens 5, or often ? Stigmas mostly 3, ses* 

 sile, or subsessile. Drupe small, subglobose, nearly dry ; nut bony. 



Shrubs: sometimes vety lactescent; leaves alternate, odd-pinnate, or ternate i 

 towers in racemose or (hyrsoid panicles. Nat. Ord. 113. Lindl. Anacardiaobjb* 

 f Leaves odd-pinnate* m Branches villose. 



1. R. typhika, L. Young branches and petioles densely villose^ 

 leaflets in many pairs, lance-oblong acuminate, acutely serrate, some- 

 what pilose beneath ; panicles dense, terminal. Beck, Bot. p. 70. 

 Typha-likb Rhus. Vulgo — Staghorn Sumach. 



Lactescent. Stem 10 to 15 or 20 feet hish, and sometimss 4 to 6 inches in diame- 

 t$r f branched above; branches thick, densely clothed, when young, with a s-Ht 

 velvet-like pubescence. LtqroSS * innate ; leaflets in 8 to 12 or 15 pairs with a ter- 

 minal odd one, 2 to 4 inches long and half an inch to an inch wi >*?, irtpiUfly ai.4 

 acutely serrate, all except Uw to mi nil one sessile «r.r» . se, green and 



smooth above, giants y and pubescent beneath, them.' Iribpil »w ?o heth sides; 



