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| Our tree of the week is a winged sumac (Rhus copallina), approximately 7 years of age, pictured center. This individual can be found along the concrete corridor that runs between Mickle Hall and the Student Union Building. You can see it in its autumnal splendor and read about its history on a previous blog post, here. This week we take a look at its flower clusters. |
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| Winged sumac flower clusters are large and cream-colored with a tinge of green. Each cluster appears at the tip of a branch, surrounded by long, dark-green, compound leaves. |
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| Despite their size, these flower clusters aren't particularly eye-catching, especially in comparison with the fall foliage of this species. |
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| Each cluster is formed from innumerable tiny flowers. Unfortunately, these flowers appear to be fragrance-free. Low on visibility, low on odor, so how do the pollinators find them? |
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| A small branch was cut for inspection, and leaf-removal was necessary for flower-inspection. Note the alternate arrangement of shorn leafstalks. |
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| This particular cluster measures 4½ inches long and 4 inches wide. It has an asymmetrical shape, perhaps because of its low placement on the tree—it developed upwards, towards the sun, rather than symmetrically. |
