SMOOTH SUMAC 

 Rhus glabra L. 



May 111 ;i r;iiiiily which contxiiiis >iuh widfly diiroront 



Hillsides, open woods |)l;inTs as jxdson ivy ami ca>h«'\v nuts, ono liiul> 



the sumar well established as important small 

 trees in the Illinois woods. 



The sumacs in winter lia\t' little of the aiipcar.iiKc of proper trees 

 hecauso the leaves fall I'ompletely away and leave the stout hranehes of 

 the shrubby sumac start lin<;ly Ijari' and unbranchin^^ They are club- 

 shaped and stiff without fine twigs; the winter buds are embedded above 

 tile leaf .scars. Then when spring conies, the crumjiled little c-ompound 

 leaves dc'veloj) rapidly from the tiny buds, expand, strc^teh. elongat*'. until 

 they are fifteen to eighteen inches long, compound with many toothed, 

 narrow leallets. and attached in a great whorl at the to|) of each woody 

 stem. 



If i> here, from this crown, that the flower bud- form and in June 

 i)urst inlo a large panicle of greenish-yellow ilowei's. These are tiny and 

 five-partcil. .iiul later an- re|)laced by a large tight cluster of green .«eeds 

 which turn carmine-pink in autumn. They are covered with fine hairs 

 containing malic acid; this (piality |iei-mits the fruits to be used in mak- 

 ing a reficshing drink reminiscent of lenu)na<le. In the |)ast, the tannin 

 in the boiled berries was u.<ied to make a medicinal drink to relieve sore 

 throat ; tannin extracted from fruits, stem.s, dried leaves, and roots ha.s 

 been used extensively in the )»ast in tanning and dyeing. 



98 



