THE  AMERICAN 
JOURNAL  OF  PHARMACY 
NOVEMBER,  1907 
POISON  SUMAC. 
By  A.  B.  Stevens  and  L.  E.  Warren.* 
Rhus  vernix  Linne  (Rhus  venenata  De  Candolle)  (Fam.  Anacar- 
diacecz),  known  by  various  names,  such  as  Poison  sumac,1  Poison 
dogwood,1  Poison  elder,1  Poison-tree,1  Poison  wood,2  Poison  ash,3 
Swamp  sumac3  or  Swamp  dogwood,3  is  a  small  shrub  or  tree,  six 
to  eighteen  or  occasionally  twenty-five4  feet  in  height,  which  attains 
a  diameter  of  from  three  to  six  or  even  ten5  inches.  It  is  found  in 
swamps  widely  scattered  over  the  eastern  portions  of  North  America, 
from  Canada  to  Florida,  and  west  to  Minnesota  and  Louisiana.6 
The  bark  is  mottled-gray  or  brownish-gray,  smooth  on  the 
branches  and  young  shoots,  but  somewhat  roughened  on  the  trunks 
of  the  older  trees.  The  leaves  are  compound,  each  leaf  stalk  bear- 
ing five  to  thirteen  nearly  sessile,  ovate,  obovate,  or  oval,  beautiful 
green  leaflets,  each  of  which  is  acute  at  the  apex  and  smooth  at  the 
edges.  In  autumn  the  colors  of  the  foliage  become  extremely  bril- 
liant, scarlets,  oranges  and  yellows  predominating.  In  consequence 
of  its  attractive  appearance  at  this  season  many  collectors,  ignorant 
of  its  venomous  properties,  are  poisoned  by  it  each  year.7  The  small, 
*  Holder  of  Frederick  Stearns  &  Co.  Fellowship  of  Pharmaceutical  Chem- 
istry. 
1  Silva  of  N.  Am."    C.  S.  Sargent,  III,  23-24. 
2  "Trees  and  Shrubs  of  Mass."    G.  B.  Emerson,  II,  575. 
3  "  Plant  Names,  Scientific  and  Popular."    A.  B.  Lyons,  321. 
4  "Silva  of  N.  Am."    C.  S.  Sargent,  III,  23. 
5  "  Trees  of  New  Eng."    Dame  and  Brooks,  136. 
6  "Silva  of  N.  Am."    C.  S.  Sargent,  III,  23. 
7  "Trees  of  New  Eng."  Dame  and  Brooks,  187;  also  "Silva  of  N.  Am." 
C.  S.  Sargent,  III,  24. 
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