208 PfctfTANDBIA TRIGYN1A 



R. toxicodendron, var. radicans. Torr. Fl. I. p. 324. Ejusd. C$mjk 

 p. 140. Lindl. Ency.p. 226. Eat. Man. p. 303. W 



Radicating Rhus. Vulgo — Poison-vine. Poison-oak. 



StemBor 10 to 30 op 40 feet long, slender, branching, climbing, and closely adhe- 

 ring lo trees, and other objects, by numerous radicating processes. Leaves ternate 

 comma»pe/io/*3to6incheslong, subterete, striate, pubescent. Lcujtets 2 io ft Inches 

 long, and 2 to 4 inches wide,— the terminal one broad-oval, on a petiole 1 to 2 in- 

 ches long, the lateral ones somewhat rhomboid, or obliquely ovate, on very short 

 petioles,— all acuminate, abruptly acute at base, entire, or with a few coarse angu- 

 lar toeth, nearly smooth above, somewhat pilose beneath, and cilialo on the raareiu 

 Flowers yellowish green, dioicous by abortion. Panicles slendor, racemose oh 

 short peduncles in the axils of the leaves on the young branches ; pedicels pubes- 

 cent, braeteate at baso. Drupe subglobose, about the size of the preceding drr 

 smooth, shiuing, pale brown. 



Hob. Woodlands, and old fence-rows : frequent. Fl. May— June. Fr. Sept. 



Obs. This species is also poisonous to many persons. The R. toxicodendron 

 which Nuttall considers distinct, and Torrcy and others only a variety , I think 

 "has not yet beea found in Chester County. Three or four additional spocLes arc 

 enumerated in the U. States. 



160. 8TAPHYLEA. L. JSfutt. Gen. 293. 

 CGreel:, Stapttyle, a bunch, or cluster; in allusion to its mode of flowering. J 



Calyx 5-parted, the base within covered by an urccolate disk ; segments 

 oblong, concave, colored. Petals 5, alternating with the calyx-seg- 

 ments. Stamens alternating with the petals. Styles 2 or 3, often uni- 

 ted. Ovary 2 or 3-lobed. Capsule 2 or 3-celled ; cells membranace- 

 ous, inflated, more or less connate, opening internally. Seed* few, 

 subgiobosc, bony. 



Skrubs: Leaves opposite, compound, ternate, or oddpinnate, stipular ; flowers 

 fn paniculate racemes. Nat. Ord. 97. Lindl. Staphtleacb^. 



1. S. trifolia, L. Leaves ternate, on long petioles; leaflets ovate, 

 acuminate, serrulate, pubescent, the terminal one pctiolate ; styles glab^ 

 rons ; capsules bladder-like. Beck, Hot. p. 73. 

 8. trifoliata. Marsh. Jlrbuat. p. 148. 



Three-leavkd Staph ylba. Vulgo — Bladder-nut 



Stem 6 to 12 feet high, with smooth slender branches. Leaves trifoliate, on pu- 

 bescent petioles 2 to 4 inches in length, with 3 lance-linear membranous colored 

 •villose caducous stipules at base ; leaflets 2 to 3 inches lonsr, and 1 to 2 inches wide, 

 ovate, or oval, acuminate, finely and regularly serrate, ofton unequal at base, quite 

 pubescent when young, the terminal one on a petiole half an inch to an inch or 

 more in length, the lateral ones subsessile, or on short petioles. Flowers in pen- 

 dulous paniculate racemes, composed of opposite fascicles, terminal and axillary; 

 pedicels braeteate at base. Calyx-segments oblong, connirenU Petals white, spat- 

 ulate-obovate, a little longer than the calyx, ciliato at base. Stamens a little exsert- 

 ed. Styles 3, cohering, smooth, as long as the stamens. Ovary hirsute, conical 

 3-parted, seated on the fleshy cup-like disk in the bottom of the calyx. Capsule 

 near 2 inches long, and an inch or moro in diameter, inflated, trigonous-oboYoid 

 membranous, reticulately veined, mostly 3-lobed at apex; lobes acuminate, no! 

 tTonate, opening on the inner sido. Seeds 1 to 3, obovoid, a little gibbous on tne 

 side of the hi(twi % o$ scar, -pale brown, -smooth and shining* 



