Rhus copallinum
Here’s Rhus copallinum, known as winged sumac, shining sumac, flameleaf sumac, mountain sumac, and dwarf sumac. The species name is taken from the Nahuatl (Aztec) word copalli, meaning ‘resin,’ so the coiner of the scientific name described this kind of sumac as resinous. I’d read about Rhus copallinum and might have seen some in Arkansas last year, but it was good to finally find this species only an hour east of home.
I’ve long been fascinated by the way the rachis (central axis) of each compound leaf* tends to curve in the species of flameleaf sumac I’m familiar with from Austin, and that curving is apparent in this genus-mate as well. Many of you may be familiar with Rhus copallinum because it grows throughout most of the eastern and central United States, as you can confirm on the state-clickable USDA map for this species.
Like the last few photographs, today’s comes from an April 27th field trip to Bastrop State Park led by botanist Bill Carr.
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* In common parlance people might say that this photograph shows a couple of dozen whole or partial leaves, but botanists would disagree and say the photograph shows parts of only three leaves, but each of those leaves is compound, meaning that it is made up of elements called leaflets. For example, in the compound leaf that’s front-most in the photo we can count 13 leaflets, and there might have been some more below the bottom border of the picture. For the leaf that curves along the right edge of the photograph, we can count 11 leaflets.
© 2014 Steven Schwartzman
Very nice and soft colours.
bentehaarstad
June 13, 2014 at 6:49 AM
The softness was once again a consequence of the cloudy sky that morning, but I found that it worked well here, Bente.
Steve Schwartzman
June 13, 2014 at 7:09 AM
Nice illustration of the leaf patterns and explanation of compound leaves. Not a fan of sumac…at least not the stuff in my yard. There really is no way short of agent orange or a backhoe to get rid of the stuff.
Steve Gingold
June 13, 2014 at 7:10 AM
I’ve heard that sumacs can be hard to get rid of, and I’ve seen (and photographed) thickets of the flameleaf sumac that grows in Austin. I’ve made mental notes of some of them so I could return at the end of the year when the leaves turn bright colors.
Steve Schwartzman
June 13, 2014 at 7:15 AM
I’ve often been tempted to try this but never have. http://www.mamaslebanesekitchen.com/drinks/sumacade-refreshing-sumac-drink/
We also have some massive thickets hereabouts and they are quite striking in the fall when the early morning sun hits them.
Steve Gingold
June 13, 2014 at 7:25 AM
Says one Steve to another: give the drink a try: it’s good.
Steve Schwartzman
June 13, 2014 at 7:34 AM
I like the contrast between the younger and more developed leaflets, as well as the horizontal/vertical contrast they present. And that curved stem is great. I tried to visualize the photo with both of the background stems perfectly vertical, and decided it wouldn’t have been nearly so interesting.
shoreacres
June 13, 2014 at 7:22 AM
I’m tempted to say, outdoing Frost by one:
Three rachises curved in the woods, and I—
I liked the one most curving by,
And that has made all the difference
to the feel of this photograph.
Steve Schwartzman
June 13, 2014 at 7:31 AM
We have many sumac patches around here. They turn a deep red in the fall. They also seem to be edible and medicinal according to this person. http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Sumac.html
Jim in IA
June 13, 2014 at 7:45 AM
The main food-type uses I know are the ones Steve Gingold provided a link for: people have made sumac-ade from the clusters of little fruits produced by these trees, and in the Middle East sumac leaves are used as a seasoning. The article you linked to is the first I’ve seen that says the shoots are edible (after you peel them).
Steve Schwartzman
June 13, 2014 at 12:05 PM
A subtle study in pastels … quite pleasing. D
Pairodox Farm
June 13, 2014 at 8:51 AM
The way you put it is how I see it too, Dave.
Steve Schwartzman
June 13, 2014 at 12:06 PM
I also love the softness and coloring that you captured in this photo. Very, very nice!
jkgphotos
June 13, 2014 at 4:38 PM
Thanks for appreciating the softness, Joleen. The overcast sky led me to it.
Steve Schwartzman
June 13, 2014 at 4:44 PM
This is a beautiful shot, Steve.
kerryl29
June 13, 2014 at 11:49 PM
Hi, Kerry. I was thinking of you the other day, and now here you are. I can count on you to appreciate the soft subtlety of this image.
Steve Schwartzman
June 14, 2014 at 6:18 AM
Now how do you write the last information as a fraction? I feel there is something mathematical in all that compounding and parts of wholes.
Gallivanta
June 14, 2014 at 6:13 AM
Without knowing the full number of leaflets these leaves had, we don’t have a denominator and therefore can’t write any fractions that tell us what part of the whole we’re seeing. Too bad, because I’m happy to jump into arithmetic whenever I can.
Adding another level of complexity to the leaf categorization is the fact that not only can a leaf be compound, but the leaflets can themselves be compound. Here are a couple of explanations:
http://www.amnh.org/learn/biodiversity_counts/ident_help/Parts_Plants/types_of_compound_leaves.htm
http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/e02/composed.htm
Steve Schwartzman
June 14, 2014 at 6:39 AM
Crumbs; it is complex!
Gallivanta
June 14, 2014 at 6:46 AM
And a good play on words, too.
This is the first time I’ve run across the interjection crumbs. I gather it’s a UK/NZ/AUS expression.
Steve Schwartzman
June 14, 2014 at 7:05 AM
Very much so. Not sure how it came about but a lot of these expressions are polite ways to prevent us from taking the Lord’s name in vain.
Gallivanta
June 14, 2014 at 8:13 AM
I believe you’re right. One online dictionary explains crumbs as a euphemism for Christ. A similar euphemism is crikey, and so also perhaps are criminy and for crying out loud.
Steve Schwartzman
June 14, 2014 at 8:35 AM