Sumac Identification Guide in the US (Genus Rhus)

Hi all! Thanks for watching. Click the timestamps below to take you to your desired species:
0:18 - Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina, Rhus hirta)
1:46 - Michaeux's Sumac (Rhus michauxii)
3:15 - Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra)
4:21 - Northern Sumac / Staghorn x Smooth Sumac (Rhus x borealis, Rhus typhina x Rhus glabra)
5:38 - Sumac lookalikes - Eastern Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) and Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
6:38 - Shining / Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum / copallina)
7:37 - Prairie Flameleaf Sumac (Rhus lanceolata)
8:54 - Little Leaf Sumac (Rhus microphylla) 5-9 leaflets
9:25 - Fragrant Sumac / Skunkbush - (Rhus aromatica / Rhus trilobata)
10:35 - Sugar Bush (Rhus ovata)
11:32 - Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia)
12:13 - Lemonade Berry x Sugar Bush Hybrid (Rhus integrifolia x ovata)
13:18 - Evergreen Sumac (Rhus virens)
14:19 - Practice on identifying Sumacs on iNaturalist

Here is the video on how to tell the difference between Staghorn and Smooth Sumac -    • Staghorn vs Smooth Sumac - How to Ide...  

Here's a great guide on how to identify Rhus x borealis or Staghorn x Smooth Sumac - https://michiganflora.net/species.asp...
The hybrid can seemingly fall into 1 of 4 categories:
1. Some short hair on stem and branches. Not as abundant or as long as pure R. typhina.
2. Very smooth branches and stem, but fruit exhibits strong pubescence.
3. Some short hair on fruit, ranging pubescence on branches and stem
4. Smooth fruit but dense pubescence on branches and stem.

Dichotomous Key using leaf appearance US Sumac Identification:
1a. Simple, alternate leaves. Found on West Coast or Arizona (go to 2)
1b. Compound leaves (go to 3)

2a. Leaf folded along the mid-rib. Taco-shaped leaves or similar. Entire margins. Occurs on West Coast or Arizona = Sugar Bush (Rhus ovata)
2b. Leaf shape mostly flat, not folded. Sharp, holly-like teeth along leaf margins. Occurs only on West Coast = Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia)
2c. Consistent taco-shaped or curved leaves with many teeth along leaf margins. Occurs in sympatric zones on West Coast = Lemonade Berry x Sugar Bush Hybrid - (Rhus integrifolia x ovata)

3a. Trifoliate compound leaves. Middle leaflet generally the largest. = Fragrant sumac / Skunkbush (Rhus aromatica / Rhus trilobata)
3b. More than 3 leaflets in the leaf (go to 4)

4a. 5-9 leaflets (go to 5)
4b. Mature leaves have greater than 9 leaflets (go to 6)

5a. Leaflets very small in size - 6-9 mm long, 2-5 mm wide. Leaves are winged. = Little Leaf Sumac (Rhus microphylla)
5b. Leaves are dark green, shiny in appearance. Leaves are not winged. Leaflets larger in size (1 inch). = Evergreen Sumac (Rhus virens)

6a. Leaflets are entire / smooth along margins (go to 7)
6b. Leaflets are serrated (go to 8)

7a. Leaflets are usually shiny, have large wings on rachis and are wide. Leaflets number anywhere from 9 to 21. Found in Eastern US from Texas through Missouri and up the east coast to Massachusetts. Twigs slightly pubescent = Shining Sumac / Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum)
7b. Leaflets lanceolate, curved and much more narrow. Found in the prairies of Texas with small populations in west Texas and New Mexico.

8a. Branches, fruit, stem and inflorescence ALL exhibit dense pubescence (go to 9)
8b. Branches, fruit, stem and inflorescence are smooth, exhibit no pubescence at all. Leaf petiole is typically pink. 9-31 leaflets. = Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra)
8c. Pubescence not found on all features simultaneously. Hairs are sporadic, short and vary. See above links for more details = Northern Sumac (Rhus x Borealis, Rhus typhina x glabra).

9a. Leaflets number 9-31 and are generally longer and narrow. Commonly found in the Northern US and Canada, but can reach some southern states. = Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)
9b. Only found in small regions of North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and South Carolina with reports of populations down to Florida. Rare species. Leaflets number anywhere from 7-13. Teeth protrude further out. Leaflets are more rounded, shorter and not as narrow. = Michaux's Sumac (Rhus michauxii)