Smooth Sumac

Rhus glabra L.

Classification

Kingdom Plantae – Plants Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons Subclass Rosidae Order Sapindales Family Anacardiaceae – Sumac familyGenus Rhus L.– sumacSpecies Rhus glabra L.– smooth sumac

Shape, Form, TypeA shrub or small tree up to 10 feet with a short or multi-stemmed trunk and wide spreading, open crown. In the winter it has no leaves. But in the summer it grows green leaves.

FIGURE 1

BarkBrownish gray and smooth, with numerous lenticels, developing scaly ridges as it gets older.

FIGURE 2 FIGURE 3

TwigStout, lacking hairs and often with a bluish glaucous bloom; buds are small, rounded and covered with light brown hairs, nearly encircled by leaf scar.

FIGURE 4FIGURE 5

LeafAlternate, pinnately compound, 12 to 18 inches long, 11 to 31 lanceolate leaflets per leaf, each 2 to 4 inches long with a serrated margin, dark green above, paler and finely hairy below.

FIGURE 6 FIGURE 7

Bud

• Buds are hairy, and the terminal bud is absent.

FIGURE 8

FlowerDioecious; tiny, with pale yellow petals, dense in mid to late summer. upright cluster up to 8 inches long

FIGURE 9

FruitA small (1/8 inch) reddish, round, finely hairy drupe borne in dense upright cluster. The panicles typically droop when mature in the fall and persist into winter.

FIGURE 10FIGURE 11

Habitat and RangeMostly found in wet to dry soil prairies, highland forests, woodland borders, limestone glades, abandoned fields and fence rows.

FIGURE 12

Uses

• The smooth sumac is used in countries to spice up salads and meats.

• And in the united states it is used to make a lemonade.

References

• Figures 1-11: • Virginia tech. (6, 24 2010). Retrieved from

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=80

• Figure 12:• Usda plant. (6, 24 2010). Retrieved from

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ACSA2

• Text citation:• Tree tropics. (6, 24 2010). Retrieved from

http://www.treetopics.com/rhus_glabra/gallery1.htm• Vanderbilt. (6, 24 2010). Retrieved from

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/rhgl.htm • Virginia tech. (6, 24 2010). Retrieved from

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=80

• Illionois wild flowers. (6, 24 2010). Retrieved from http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/trees/plants/sm_sumac.htm

• Usda plant. (6, 24 2010). Retrieved from http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ACSA2