rhus Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun deciduous or evergreen shrubs and shrubby trees of temperate and subtropical North America, South Africa, eastern Asia and northeastern Australia; usually limited to nonpoisonous sumacs (see genus Toxicodendron)
    genus Rhus.

WordNet

Rhus noun
Etymology
L., sumac, fr. Gr. .
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) A genus of shrubs and small treets. See Sumac.

Webster 1913