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.