THE SHRUBS OF NORTH CAROLINA. 151 



longs to the Upper District, 10 to 20 feet high, the 

 branches and flower stalks densely and rather softly 

 hairy, somewhat like a Deer's horn "in the velvet." 

 The leaflets are narrow and tapering. The bark issues 

 a milky juice, and the berries are acid, as in No. 2. 

 The wood is orange colored and aromatic. The bark 

 and branches are used for tanning. The large clusters 

 of purple fruit, and a fine foliage, render this species 

 quite ornamental. 



4. Dwarf Sumach. (R. pumila, Michx.) — This 

 has a general resemblance to No. 3, especially in the 

 dense hairiness of the young branches, but the leaflets 

 in this are much shorter, broader and more coarsely 

 toothed, and the plant is only 1 to 3 feet high, mostly 

 spreading over the ground. It is rather rare, but oc- 

 curs in the Lower and Middle Districts, especially in 

 Mecklenburg, where it was originally discovered by 

 the elder Michaux. Pursh has represented it as be- 

 ing very poisonous, but it is perfectly harmless, as 

 are all the preceding species. 



5. Poison Sumach. (R. venenata, DC.) — Found 

 in all the Districts in cool swampy situations, where 

 it is somewhat conspicuous by its smooth green bark 

 and pink-colored leaf-stems. To most persons it is 

 exceedingly poisonous, some even being affected by 

 proximity to it, especially while rain or dew is evap- 

 orating from it. Others, however, can handle it with 

 safety. The juice of this is a good varnish, like that 

 of the Japan Sumach (R. vernicifera), which is a very 

 similar and was once supposed to be the same species. 



