196 FLORA OF TEXAS. 



4-5, densely villous below the middle, longer than the 

 style in the sterile flowers, shorter in the fertile ones. 

 —Shrub 4°-8° high; leaflets 2-4' long; fruit V wide. 



P. MOLLIS, Curtis. Lateral leaflets oval, the terminal 

 obovate, with an abrupt, acute point, the under side with 

 the petioles, panicles, and young branches clothed with 

 soft, white, silky villus; CT/Jties cora\ydct; sfi/le long; fila- 

 vients equaling the anthers ; stamens 4. 



P. Baldwixii. Leaves very small, glabrous ; leaflets 

 sessile, oval, obtuse, the terminal one cuneiform at the 

 base; flowers tetrandrous; style none. — Shrub 1° high, 

 with numerous scraggy branches ; leaflets V long. 



34. SUMACH FAMILY. Order, Anacardiace^. 



Trees or shrubs, with a resinous, caustic, milky juice. 

 Leaves alternate, simple or ternate, or unequally pinnate ; 

 flowers terminal or axillary, with bracts commonly dioe- 

 cious, small; sepals 3 to 5, united at base, persistent; 

 petals same number, sometimes wanting, imbricated ; sta- 

 mens as many as petals, alternate with them, distinct or 

 cohering, and perigynous ; style or stigmas 3, on a 1-celled 

 ovary, which makes a 1-seeded little stone-fruit (drupe) with 

 a thin flesh. 



Some of this order are poiso?ious even to the touch, as the 

 K. TOXICODEXDRO^'" Or Poison Oak. 



RHUS, L. Sumach. 



Calyx 5-parted; petals 5, inserted with the 5 stamens 

 on the disk which surrounds the base of the ovary; stig- 

 mas 3 ; dr^qje dry; radicle superior, incurved. — Shrubs or 

 small trees. Leaves pinnate or trifoliate, rarely simple. 

 Flowers greenish, in spikes or panicles. 



