ANACARDIACEAE

SUMAC or CASHEW FAMILY

Dieter H. Wilken

Shrub, tree, generally dioecious or flowers bisexual and unisexual, ± resinous, sometimes milky, generally aromatic
Leaves simple or compound, alternate, deciduous or evergreen; stipules 0
Inflorescence: raceme or panicle; flowers generally many
Flower generally unisexual, radial; sepals 5, base generally ± fused; petals 5, generally > sepals, free; stamens 5 or 10, reduced and sterile in pistillate flowers; ovary superior, vestigial or 0 in staminate flowers, subtended by ± lobed, disk-like nectary, chamber generally 1, ovule generally 1, styles 1–3
Fruit drupe-like, glabrous, sticky, or short-hairy; pulp ± resinous, sometimes aromatic
Genera in family: 70+ genera, ± 850 species: tropical, warm temp; some ornamental (Rhus, Schinus ), some cultivated for fruit (Anacardium , cashew; Mangifera , mango)
Reference: [Brizicky 1962 J Arnold Arbor 43:359–375]
TOXIC: many genera produce contact dermatitis.

RHUS

Shrub, tree, dioecious or bisexual and pistillate
Leaves simple or compound, deciduous or evergreen, entire, toothed, or lobed
Inflorescence: panicle, terminal on short twigs, open to dense; flowers generally sessile
Flower: stamens 5; styles 3, free or ± fused
Fruit spheric or ± compressed, glabrous or glandular-hairy, generally reddish; pulp thin or thick, ± resinous
Species in genus: ± 150 species: warm temp
Etymology: (Greek: ancient name for sumac)
Reference: [Brizicky 1963 J Arnold Arbor 44:60–80]

Native

R. trilobata Nutt.

SKUNKBRUSH

Shrub, 0.5–2.5 m
Leaf deeply lobed to compound, deciduous, thin, flat; petiole 5–15 mm; lobes or leaflets generally 3, margins crenate to slightly lobed, lower surfaces tomentose to ± glabrous; terminal lobe or leaflet 10–35 mm, ± diamond-shaped; lateral 5–18 mm, generally ovate
Inflorescence: branches short, stiff; flower before leaves appear
Flower: sepals yellow-green to reddish; petals generally yellow
Fruit 5–8 mm diam, sparsely hairy, sticky, generally bright red-orange
Ecology: Slopes, washes, scrub
Elevation: < 2200 m.
Bioregional distribution: California Floristic Province, Desert Mountains
Distribution outside California: to s Canada, c US, n Mexico
Flowering time: Mar–Apr
Synonyms: var. anisophylla (Greene) Jeps.; var. malacophylla (Greene) Jeps.; var. quinata Jeps
Geog variation in w North America needs further study
Horticultural information: 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24; IRR: 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 18, 19, 20, 21; also STBL.