ON TREES AND SHRUBS. 



407 



about 4ft. high, and is quite hardy. R. dilatatimi^ a very rare and 

 beautiful Japanese species, bears mauve-coloured flowers freely in 

 early spring. It is distinct in flower, and free in growth. 



Rhodotypos kbrrioides (White Kerria) is a charming and 

 easily-grown shrub, very hardy, and bears pure w^hite flowers, 

 somewhat similar to single Roses. 



Rhus. — The various kinds of this genus are ornamental shrubs 

 or small trees of simple requirements. In autumn few shrubs 

 are more effective than R. Cotinus (Venetian Sumach) ; it forms 

 a freely-branched shrub, 5ft. or 6ft. high, with roundish, glaucous 

 green leaves, which in autumn turn to shades of purple, crimson, 

 chocolate, &c., while before this its feathery seed-plumes, which 

 succeed the small, inconspicuous flowers, are very attractive, and 

 these have given rise 

 to the popular name 



with orange ; it is 



a fine lawn shrub Fig. 263.— Rhus glabra laciniata. 



and grows freely 



in town gardens. R. glabra {R. coccinea, R. elegaiis) is 

 another kind of much beauty ; but the fern-leaved Sumach 

 (7?. g. laciniata^ (Fig. 263) is a precious shrub, with finely-cut 

 leaves which bear some resemblance to the elegant Grevillea 

 robusta^ and before they fall assume shades of red, orange, 

 and yellow ; it is useful for growing in pots for conservatory 

 decoration, as w^ell as for planting in groups on the lawn. 

 R. cotinoides is one of the showiest of shrubs conspicuous 



of Smoke - tree. 

 R. C. atro-piirpiirea 

 is desirable for its 

 richly - col oured 

 foliage and purple 

 seed-plumes. R. 

 typhina (Stag's 

 Horn Sumach) 

 (Fig. 262) forms 

 a small tree with 

 stout branches, the 

 young shoots being 

 covered with 

 brownish hairs ; its 

 large deep green 

 leaves are com- 

 posed of many 

 leaflets, which in 

 autumn change to 

 purplish-red, occa- 

 sionally suffused 



