Anacardiaceae

Rhus glabra

Smooth Sumac

Deciduous shrub or small tree with many branches. Leaves 12–18 in. long, divided pinnately to 11–31 lance-shaped leaflets, each 1–4 in. long with sharply pointed tip, turning scarlet in autumn. Inflorescence dense, club-shaped, to 8 in. long, upward-pointing. White to green flowers each about 1/8 in. across. Fruit is a pulpy, round, red berry covered with short red hairs; contains a single stone; usually persists through winter. Grows in disturbed soils and grasslands near water in dry areas.

• Rarity: Common
• Flowering Time: Early Summer
• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Height: 3--18 feet
• Habitat: Disturbed, Meadow
• Found In: East Gorge
• Native: Yes