OF Ohio 



87 



STAGHORN SUMAC 



Rhus typhina, Linnaeus 



THE Staghorn Sumac, also called Velvet Sumac, is the 

 largest of the native Sumacs. Under favorable condi- 

 tions it reaches a height of 35 feet and a diameter of 8 inches. 



The leaves are alternate, 16 to 24 inches long, compound, 

 with 11 to 3 1 leaflets. Leaf-stalks are hairy. Leaf-scars 

 arc U-shaped and con- 

 tain 3 groups of small 

 greenish bundle-scars. 



The flowers are small 

 greenish-yellow, appear 

 about May, occur in 

 pyramid-like panicles 5 

 to 12 inches long and 4 

 to 6 inches broad. 



The fruit is a small 

 red drupe arranged in 

 conspicuous red heads 5 

 to 8 inches long and 4 ^, 

 to 6 inches broad. ^ff 



The bark on old 

 trunks is rough, dark 1^ 

 brown; on younger 

 trunks it is smooth, 

 thin, covered with nu- 

 merous yellowish- 

 brown dots. The twigs 

 are stout, clumsy, cov- 

 ered with a dense coat- 

 ing of velvety hairs, 

 contain a wide, yellow- 

 ish-brown pith, when 

 cut or bruised they yield 



a milkv SaO. The buds Leaf-scars, seed, and single flowers, enlarged. 



are small, round and 

 hairy. 



The wood is soft, brittle, rather satiny to touch, orange- 

 colored streaked with green. 



The Staghorn Sumac is found from New Brunswick to 

 Minnesota, south to Georgia and Alabama. It occurs locally 

 in practically all parts of Ohio. Fertile, dry uplands are 

 its favorite home. It is common on abandoned fields and 

 along fence rows. It is highly prized on account of its 

 autumnal foliage and the coloration of its fruit. 



STAGHORN SUMAC 

 One-fourth natural size. 



