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Rhus is a genus of woody shrubs and trees, with red or grayish-white fruits. Sumacs propagate by seeds and by root clones, and form large clonal colonies (as do modern quaking aspens). Most taxonomists place the modern species poison sumac (Rhus vernix), poison ivy (R. radicans and other species), and poison oak (R. toxicarium and R. diversiloba) in the Rhus genus, along with non-allergenic sumacs grown as ornamentals. There is no way of knowing whether any of the Rhus species at Florissant produced similar allergens (NOT poisons). Rhus potaninii (Chinese lacquer tree), another modern allergenic species, is used to make lacquer.
Cotinus fraterna shows secondary veins that branch, sometimes more than once, and extend all the way to the margin, which are characteristics of the cashew family. There are only three living species of Cotinus in North America, southern Europe, and China.
Other fossil cashew family species at Florissant
- Rhus lesqueruexi
- Rhus vexans
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