THE DWARF SUMACH 



THE distinctive character of the Dwarf Sumach lies in the curiously- winged blades 

 of the stem of the compound leaf, a feature that is clearly shown on the accom- 

 panying plate. Even in winter one can generally find some of these leaf-stalks 

 on or beneath the branches so that the identification of the species is easy and certain. 

 It may be seen also from the picture that the margins of the leaflets are entire, though 

 sometimes there is a slight serration toward the tip. The upper surface of the blades of 

 the leaflets is smooth and shining, while the lower surface is more or less pubescent, as 

 are the leaf -stalks and the young shoots. The dense panicles of greenish blossoms appear 

 in summer later than those of the other Sumachs. The fruit is red and covered with hairs, 

 as in the case of the Smooth and the Staghorn Sumachs. It remains upon the tree through 

 the autumn, and often until the following spring, furnishing food to a number of winter 

 birds. 



In most regions this species assumes only a shrubby growth, covering large areas 

 with its brilliant foliage, which in autumn becomes a glorious red the finest in coloring 

 of all the Sumachs. But sometimes in the mountainous regions of the Southwest it takes 

 on the form of a tree, occasionally reaching a height of thirty feet and a trunk diameter 

 of ten inches. The plant is widely distributed, occurring in the United States from Maine 

 to Florida on the east, and from Nebraska to Texas on the west. Over most of this vast 

 area it deserves the name Dwarf Sumach, rising but a few feet from the ground, and 

 spreading over hillsides and barren lands by means of horizontal stems just below the 

 soil surface. 



Its value in glorifying the autumn landscape indicates that the Dwarf Sumach may 

 be utilized to advantage in landscape gardening, an idea which is often carried out by 

 landscape artists in Europe as well as in America. There is a considerable percentage of 

 tannin in the leaves and bark, and in the Southern States these are often collected and 

 ground, the product being used in tanning leather. 



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