2. Rhus copallinum L. (dwarf sumac, winged sumac, shining sumac)

Schmaltzia copallina Small

R. copallinum var. latifolia Engl.

Pl. 200 c, d; Map 832

Plants shrubs or small trees. Stems 1.5–6.0 m long, ascending. Young branches densely hairy, becoming glabrous or nearly so with age, the older branches with prominent lenticels. Leaves pinnately compound, with 7–13 leaflets, the petiole 3–6 cm long, densely hairy, the rachis narrowly winged between leaflets (the wing interrupted where the leaflets are attached). Leaflets 3.0–8.5 cm long, 1.5–3.0 cm wide, sessile, broadly lanceolate to oblong, the margins entire or with a few teeth distally, the upper surface dark green, glabrous or nearly so except for the densely hairy main veins, shiny, the undersurface light green to grayish green, sparsely to moderately felty-hairy and with scattered, minute, reddish-brown glandular hairs. Inflorescences terminal, dense, ovoid panicles 12–18 cm long, 6–8 cm wide. Sepals 0.8–1.1 mm long, ovate, bluntly to sharply pointed at the tip, moderately to densely hairy. Petals 1.5–2.5 mm long, oblong, rounded at the tip, yellowish green. Fruits 4–6 mm long, 4–5 mm wide, somewhat flattened, red, with dense, minute, stout, red glandular hairs and sparse to moderate, longer, white to colorless nonglandular hairs. June–July.

Scattered to common nearly throughout the state, but uncommon or absent from northern portions of the Glaciated Plains Division (eastern U.S. west to Minnesota and Texas; Canada). Glades, upland prairies, savannas, and openings of mesic to dry upland forests; also old fields, railroads, roadsides, and open, disturbed areas.

The species epithet has been spelled copallina in some of the botanical literature, but the original spelling that Linnaeus used should be retained. Steyermark (1963) noted that Missouri plants fall into var. latifolia, which has fewer but broader leaflets, as opposed to the leaves of var. copallinum, which have mostly 11–23 leaflets that are only 1–2 cm wide. There is broad intergradation between these varieties and among the other named variants within this species.