Apr.. I92I] MCNAIR — RHUS DIVERSILOBi 
The flower, as viewed from above, is divided ii 
stand in front of the petals and are separated by the ii 
each lobe is again slightly indented in the middle, 
of the disk are somewhat arched toward the top; from this ^ofisf ruction a 
ring-like depression appears in the middle. 
While just as many inflorescences as leaves are found on the blossom 
shoots of the male plants, the number of panicles on the female plant is 
only about one half as great as that of the leaves. The leaves, however, 
are more numerous on the blossom shoots of the female. The number of 
leaves fluctuated between 7 and 9 in several investigations of shoots, while 
the number of panicles ranged between 3 and 5. As on the male plant, 
neither the lowest nor the highest leaves bear inflorescences in their axils but 
only the middle ones. The panicles have a length of 3 to 6 cm. They are 
not stiffly erect as in the male, but on the contrary only limply placed. The 
side twigs of the first order are up to 2.5 cm. in length, and have about as 
numerous branches, but shorter side twigs of the higher order than those of 
the male. The entire female panicle has about the same general outline 
as the male panicle. The anatomical structure of the panicle axis is essen- 
tially similar to that of the vegetative twig in the first year, and there is no 
noticeable difference in this respect between the male and the female panicle. 
Particular structures for tensile strength are not noticed in the axes of the 
fruit panicles. The stems of the pistillate flowers are not longer than i cm. 
and are often 5 mm. long. The flower itself is smaller than that of the male; 
its diameter, it is true, measures about 5 mm., but the petals are less curved. 
The 5 calyx leaves are somewhat similar to those in the staminate 
flower, but slightly shorter. The 5 petals are spread out flatter and do 
not have the curled side rims. They are approximately 3 mm. long and 
1.5 mm. broad. Five stamens also occur in the pistillate flower; their 
anthers are of nearly the same length as the fertile ones of the staminate 
flower, but the filaments are about 1.5 mm. long and therefore much shorter 
than those of the male. The anthers are shrunken, of a dirty yellow color, 
with pollen absent, so that the entire pistillate flower and panicles appear 
darker. As seen from the broad side, the pistil originates in a somewhat 
compressed, egg-shaped ovary which is extended in a short style. Toward 
the top the style spreads out into three thick, brownish stigmas which are 
beset with papilli. The ovary is also to be considered as constituted by 
three carpels, of which, however, two are rudimentary so that they appear 
only in the stigmas. Between the stamens and the ovary is the disk, 
which is similar to that of the staminate flower except that it is narrower 
because of the greater expansion of the ovary. 
As far as the growth and the finer structure of the flower are concerned 
the male and female flowers show a great similarity. If one investigates 
young inflorescences on which the individual flowers are distinguishable 
as small buds, it is noticed that each flower stands in the axil of a com- 
