Part 58

Flowers: Borne in clusters from the axils of the leaves, during May and June, some of them either only staminate or only pistillate, some of them with both stamens and pistils, each flower with 4 small petals.

Fruit: Nearly round, fleshy, black, up to ¼ inch in diameter, bitter, containing 3 or 4 seeds.

Wood: Heavy, hard, durable, yellowish, fine-grained.

Uses: This tree is sometimes planted as an ornamental hedge. The wood is used in making such things as tool handles. The fruits serve as a powerful purging agent.

Habitat: Thickets.

Range: Native of Europe and Asia; naturalized throughout much of northeastern North America.

Distinguishing Features: The spine-tipped twigs, nearly opposite leaves, and small black fruits readily distinguish this species.

SHINING SUMAC Rhus copallina L.

Other Names: Dwarf Sumac; Winged Sumac.

Growth Form: Small tree to 35 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 6 inches; crown widely spreading.

Bark: Dark brown, roughened.

Twigs: Rather stout, gray-brown to reddish-brown, sometimes hairy, with conspicuous red lenticels; leaf scars alternate, U-shaped, elevated with 6-9 bundle traces.

Buds: More or less rounded, rusty-hairy, about ⅛ inch long.

Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with as many as 21 leaflets; leaflets oblong to elliptic, up to 3 inches long and 1 inch broad, sharp pointed at the apex, tapering or rounded at the sometimes asymmetrical base, smooth or with low teeth along the edges, dark green, smooth and shiny on the upper surface, paler and hairy on the lower surface, all leaflets attached to a winged stalk. The leaves turn a deep red or wine color in the autumn.

Flowers: Staminate and pistillate sometimes borne on separate plants, sometimes on the same plant, sometimes in the same flower, numerous in much branched clusters, appearing from late May to mid-August, each flower greenish-yellow, small.

Fruit: Cluster of red berries, each berry round, finely hairy, up to ⅛ inch in diameter, containing a single orange seed.

Wood: Light in weight, soft, coarse-grained, pale brown.

Use: Sometimes grown as an ornamental.

Habitat: Dry hills, fields.

Range: Maine across southern Michigan to eastern Nebraska, south to Texas, east to Florida.

Distinguishing Features: The Shining Sumac is readily distinguished by the winged stalk to which the leaflets are attached.

SMOOTH SUMAC Rhus glabra L.

Growth Form: Small tree up to 20 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 8 inches; crown widely spreading.

Bark: Light brown, smooth on young plants, becoming somewhat rough at maturity.

Twigs: Stout, angular, smooth, reddish-brown or greenish-brown and covered by a whitish coat which can be wiped off, leaf scars alternate, nearly encircling the bud, elevated, with 6-9 bundle traces.

Buds: More or less rounded, smooth, about ⅛ inch long.

Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with up to 31 leaflets; leaflets lance-shaped, up to 4 inches long, less than 2 inches broad, sharp pointed at the apex, tapering or rounded at the often asymmetrical base, toothed along the edges, green and smooth on the upper surface, nearly white and smooth on the lower surface. The leaves turn red in the autumn.

Flowers: Staminate and pistillate sometimes borne on separate plants, sometimes on the same plant, sometimes in the same flower, numerous in much branched clusters, appearing from late May to mid-August, each flower greenish-yellow, small.