Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 October 1883 — Poison Sumach. [ARTICLE]

Poison Sumach.

There are at least eight species of sumach: (1) Smooth, (2) Staghorn, (3) Mountain, (4) SAveet, (5) Venetian, (6) Poison Ivy, (7) Poison Oak, (8) Poison Sqmach. The general scientific name is Rhus, to which is added, for each, a specific scientific name. As only the last three are poisonous, we do not need to speak further of the others. Poison ivy (Rhus radicans) is a vine from five to forty feet high, and having strong fibers with which it attaches itself to walls and trees. It is liable to be mistaken for our woodine (American rvy). But while the latter has fi\ r e leaflets and a watery juice, the former has only three leaflets and a milky juice. Poison oak (Rhus toxicodendron) is a shrub from one to three feet high. This, too, has a milky juice, with its leaves ananged in threes. The leaves are also downy on the under side and deeply notched, like the oak. The flowers are small, yellowish-green, and arranged in spikes. The berry is oval and pale-brown. Poison sumach (Rhus venenata) is also known by the names of dogwoody varnish-tree, swamp sumach, poison asluand poison elder. Some also apply the name poison sumach to poison oak. It groAvs from ten to fifteen feet high. It is often mistaken for true elder. But while the latter has flat clusters of white flowers and black berries, the former has long clusters of greenish flowers and greenish-yellow berries. It also differs from common sumach by haring leaves with edges perfectly smooth, while the leaves of the other serrated, or saw-like. — Youth’s Companion. *