Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Malvids: Sapindales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Rhus aromatica var. aromatica
FAMILY
Anacardiaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
On first glance it looks much like Poison-oak (Toxicodendron pubescens) and less so Poison-ivy (T. radicans), with its three-parted leaves. However, the central (terminal) leaflet of Fragrant Sumac tapers gradually to the base, and appears rather diamond-shaped, unlike the more rounded base of the terminal Poison-oak or Poison-ivy leaflet with a short stalk showing. The leaves of Fragrant Sumac also tend to be rather thick, and they are usually not as shiny as the leaves of Poison-oak or Poison-ivy. Read more at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
The specific epithet is Latin for “aromatic” or “fragrant,” describing the strong and pleasant scent of the crushed leaves. Read more at "Know Your Natives" from the Arkansas Native Plant Society.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Rhus aromatica var. aromatica
FAMILY
Anacardiaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 110-01-004:
Rhus aromatica FAMILY Anacardiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Schmaltzia crenata
COMMON NAME:
Fragrant Sumac, Squawbush
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
JK Marlow jkm120325_760
March McCormick County SC
Stevens Creek Heritage Preserve
Coarsely toothed above mid-leaflet. Lateral leaflets assymmetric & sessile, per Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses (Miller & Miller, 2005).
COMPARE
Fragrant Sumac and Poison Oak
JK Marlow jkm090404_172
April Walker County GA
Pigeon Mountain
Straggly, upright, rounded shrub, 1'-7' tall, not poisonous, per Wildflowers of Tennessee (Carman, 2005).
JK Marlow jkm180506_1997
May Crawford County GA
Foliage has sessile terminal leaflets (vs. Toxicodendron pubescens has a prominent petiolule), per Weakley's Flora (2022).
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_rhus_aromatica_8
May
Short dense catkin-like clusters open before or during leaf expansion, per Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses (Miller & Miller, 2005).
JK Marlow jkm140603_378
June Pickens County SC
SC Botanical Garden
Petiolule of terminal leaflet is the same length as the lateral petiolules, per www.carolinanature.com (Cook).
JK Marlow jkm140603_381
June Pickens County SC
SC Botanical Garden
Leaflets thick, at first pubescent on both surfaces, glabrate in age, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_r_aromatica_aroma
June
Fruits roundish, very hairy, bright red, and quite conspicuous, per Wildflowers of Tennessee (Carman, 2005).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Rhus aromatica var. aromatica
FAMILY
Anacardiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Rhus aromatica var. aromatica
FAMILY
Anacardiaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 110-01-004:
Rhus aromatica
FAMILY
Anacardiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Schmaltzia crenata