KEY TO NATIVE WOODY PLANTS OF DALLAS COUNTY Based Principally On Leaves
Reading edition
Numbers below 200 refer to the key, above 200 to the guide (p. 20).
1. Leaves evergreen 2
1. Leaves deciduous 7
2. Leaves pinnately compound 71
2. Leaves not pinnately compound 3
3. Plants with very thick, fleshy, flattened, leaf-like stems, usually covered with many prickles prickly-pear cactus 269
3. Leaves not very thick and fleshy and not prickly except at tips 4
4. Leaves in large rosette close to ground 5
4. Leaves needle-like, not in rosettes 6
5. Leaves sword-shaped yucca 205
5. Leaves fan-shaped palmetto (rare) 203
6. Inner bark yellowish brown, berries light blue red cedar 201
6. Inner bark darker brown, berries larger and darker, purplish mountain cedar (rare) 202
7. Leaves simple 8
7. Leaves compound 67
8. Leaves and twigs alternate 9
8. Leaves and twigs opposite 54
Leaves Simple and Alternate
9. Leaves linear (long and narrow) 11
9. Leaves not linear 10
10. Leaves smooth and very glossy on both sides, broadly truncate at base, stems flattened cottonwood 207
10. Leaves not possessing all three characteristics as given in 10 above 12
11. Leaves usually less than ¾ inch wide, midrib yellowish and prominent on both sides willow 206
11. Leaves usually more than ¾ inch wide, midrib not yellowish nor prominent on both sides peach 239
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12. Trunks or twigs with thorns or spines 13
12. Trunks and twigs without thorns or spines 18
13. Thorny vines greenbrier 204
13. Thorny trees or shrubs 14
14. Leaf margins entire (smooth) 17
14. Leaf margins not entire, variously serrate or toothed 15
15. Leaves either blunt at tip or shallowly lobed or cut, primary veins usually straight to margins, often doubly serrate red haws 232
15. Leaves pointed at tip, serrate, not cut or lobed, veins united or curving near margins 16
16. Leaf width more than half the length, leaf flat, glands, if present on leaf-stem near leaf, dark wild plum (tree) 237
16. Leaf width less than half the length, tending to fold lengthwise, usually two bright red glands on leaf-stem near leaf dwarf plum 238
17. Leaf smooth or glossy, tip pointed, juice of stem milky bois d’arc or Osage orange 226
17. Leaf wooly on under side, especially when young, usually rather blunt at tip, juice of stem not milky wooly bumelia, chittam wood or gum elastic 272
18. Leaves either lobed or coarsely toothed 33
18. Leaves neither lobed nor coarsely toothed, sometimes doubly toothed 19
19. Leaf margin serrate or crenate or doubly toothed 20
19. Leaf margin smooth or wavy 47
20. Vines rattan 261
20. Not vines 21
21. Leaf margins doubly toothed (large and small teeth) 22
21. Leaf margins not doubly toothed 25
22. Leaves 3 to 7 inches long, twigs not corky winged 23
22. Leaves 1 to 3 inches long, twigs sometimes corky winged 24
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23. Inner bark mucilaginous (“slippery” when chewed), leaves rough above, downy below red or slippery elm 220
23. Inner bark not mucilaginous, leaves rather smooth above and downy below white or American elm 221
24. Leaves 1 to 2½ inches long, rather blunt tips, flowers in fall cedar elm 222
24. Leaves 1½ to 3 inches long, tapering point, flowers in spring winged elm (rare) 223
25. Bark of trunk with warty or knotty projections rough-leaved hackberry 224
25. Bark of trunk without warty projections 26
26. Leaf length more than 4 times width peach 239
26. Leaf length less than 3 times width 27
27. Larger twigs with whitish cross-streaks, flowers and fruit in catkin-like racemes wild cherry (rare) 236
27. Twigs without whitish cross-streaks, flowers and fruits not in racemes 28
28. Lowest pair of primary leaf veins much longer than others New Jersey tea 260
28. Lowest pair of primary leaf veins not much, if any, longer than others 29
29. Leaf veins and midrib yellowish and prominent on under side, primary veins closely and evenly spaced Indian cherry 259
29. Leaf veins and midrib not yellowish, if prominent on under side not closely and evenly spaced 30
30. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long (rarely much larger), sometimes mitten-shaped or, on young shoots, intricately lobed, margins rather coarsely serrate or toothed red mulberry 227
30. Leaves 1 to 3½ inches long, margins finely serrate or crenate, not lobed 31
31. Leaves 1 to 2 inches long, margins crenate, veinlets not conspicuous, twigs pale gray swamp holly 253
31. Leaves 2 to 3½ inches long, margins serrate, veinlets netted and conspicuous below, twigs purplish or reddish 32
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32. Width of leaves more than half their length, flat, glands on leaf-stem dark wild plum (tree) 237
32. Width of leaves less than half their length, tending to fold lengthwise, usually 2 bright red glands on leaf-stem near leaf dwarf plum 238
33. Lobed or coarsely toothed leaves on vines 34
33. Lobed or coarsely toothed leaves not on vines 38
34. Leaf margins smooth, though sometimes slightly lobed 35
34. Leaf margins deeply lobed or coarsely toothed or both 36
35. Leaves 2 to 4 inches long Carolina moonseed (sarsaparilla) 229
35. Leaves 4 to 10 inches long Canada moonseed (very rare) 230
36. Leaf surfaces not downy or wooly 37
36. At least lower leaf surfaces somewhat wooly grapes 266 and 267
37. Leaves mostly 3-divided or deeply lobed or cut, fleshy cow-itch vine 264
37. Leaves coarsely toothed, not divided or deeply lobed, grapelike except thin and smooth, or nearly smooth Cissus ampelopsis 265
38. Leaves as broad as long sycamore 231
38. Leaves not as broad as long 39
39. Leaves toothed, not tough, rough above, not broader toward tip, often lobed on young trees red mulberry 227
39. Leaves tough, not rough above, lobed or notched 40
40. Leaves regularly notched but not deeply lobed 44
40. Leaves deeply lobed or else broader toward tip, not regularly notched 41
41. Lobes few and shallow or sharp-pointed at tips 42
41. Lobes not sharp-pointed at tips 45
42. Lobes, if any, few and shallow and near tip, leaves decidedly broader toward tip 43
42. Leaves with several to many sharp-pointed lobes, some of them always fairly deep, variously shaped, (more than one species) red oaks 219
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43. Leaves 4 to 10 inches long black jack oak 218
43. Leaves 2 to 3 inches long water oak, duck oak or pin oak 217
44. Leaf notches pointed chinquapin oak 216
44. Leaf notches rounded swamp chestnut oak 215
45. Leaves 6 to 12 inches long bur oak 214
45. Leaves less than 6 inches long 46
46. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long post oak 212
46. Leaves less than 3 inches long scrub oak 213
Leaf Margins Smooth or Wavy, Not Lobed or Toothed
47. Vines 48
47. Not vines 50
48. Leaves 2 to 4 inches long Carolina moonseed 229
48. Leaves 4 to 10 inches long 49
49. Leaves deeply heart-shaped at base, wooly, leaf margin not extending beyond base of stem, not angled or lobed wooly pipevine 228
49. Leaves not always deeply heart-shaped at base, not wooly, leaf margin extending slightly beyond base of stem, leaves often angled or shallowly lobed Canada moonseed (very rare) 230
50. Leaves broad, at least nearly as broad as long, more than one main vein at base redbuds 240 and 241
50. Leaves decidedly longer than wide, one main vein at base 51
51. Leaves smooth or shiny above 52
51. Leaves not smooth, or shiny above southern hackberry 225
52. Leaf midrib and veins yellow and very prominent beneath, primary veins closely and evenly spaced, not branched Indian cherry 259
52. Leaf veins not very prominent beneath, not yellow, not evenly spaced 53
53. Leaves broader toward tip, sometimes lobed 43
53. Leaves not broader toward tip, not lobed persimmon 273
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Leaves Simple and Opposite
54. Upper pairs of leaves often united around stem 55
54. Upper pairs of leaves not united around stem 56
55. A vine, leaves evergreen coral honeysuckle (rare) 282
55. A shrub, though some of stems long and straggling bush honeysuckle 283
56. Leaf margins entire or wavy 57
56. Leaf margins serrate or coarsely toothed 63
57. Leaves ½ to 1½ inches long 58
57. Leaves 1½ to 10 inches long 59
58. Leaves light yellowish green, glossy, narrowly oblong-obovate St. Andrew’s cross (sandy land) 268
58. Leaves dark green above, lighter and downy beneath, not glossy, ovate Indian currant 284
59. Leaves glossy above, often in whorls of three or sometimes more, midrib broad and yellow button bush 281
59. Leaves not glossy above, not in whorls, midrib not yellow 60
60. Leaves 7 to 10 inches long catalpa or cigar tree (rare) 279
60. Leaves less than 6 inches long 61
61. Twigs dark, with conspicuous light dots, primary veins not prominent below nor indented above, usually less than 2½ inches long swamp privet 277
61. Twigs without conspicuous light dots, primary veins prominent below and indented above, usually over 2½ inches long 62
62. Leaves smooth but not glossy above, tending to cluster towards ends of twigs flowering dogwood (rare) 270
62. Leaves rough above, distributed along branchlets dwarf or rough-leaved dogwood 271
63. Twigs bright green, often 4-sided or ridged, leaves smooth but not glossy, acuminate tips waahoo 254
63. Twigs neither green nor 4-sided 64
64. Leaves very glossy above black haw 285
64. Leaves not glossy above 65
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65. Leaves 3 to 5 inches long, rather coarsely toothed French mulberry 278
65. Leaves ¾ to 3 inches long, finely serrate or crenate 66
66. Leaves blunt at tip spring herald 276
66. Leaves tapering at both ends swamp privet 277
67. Compound leaves alternate 68
67. Compound leaves opposite 91
Leaves Compound and Alternate
68. Trunks or twigs with spines or thorns 69
68. Trunks and twigs without spines or thorns 74
69. Low shrubs, 6 inches to 2 feet high pasture rose 234
69. Not low shrubs 70
70. Leaves with 3 to 5 leaflets 71
70. Leaves with more than 5 leaflets 72
71. Stems trailing, usually on the ground dewberries 235
71. Stems climbing prairie rose (rare) 233
72. Thorns long, often branched honey locust 243
72. Thorns or prickles short 73
73. Leaflets ovate and with odd leaflet at tip prickly ash 246
73. Leaflets oblong and without odd leaflet at tip mesquite 240
74. Vines 75
74. Not vines 78
75. Leaves twice-pinnately compound pepper vine 263
75. Leaves palmately compound or with 3 leaflets 76
76. Three leaflets 77
76. Five or more leaflets Virginia creeper 262
77. Leaves succulent (thick and juicy), sometimes three-lobed instead of parted cow-itch vine (rare) 264
77. Leaves not succulent, leaflets always fully parted, plant often shrubby when young poison oak or poison ivy 251
78. Leaves twice-pinnately compound chinaberry 248
78. Leaves not twice-pinnate 79
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79. Three leaflets (sometimes 5 on wafer ash) 80
79. More than 3 leaflets 82
80. Leaflets less than 2 inches long aromatic or ill-scented sumac 252
80. Leaflets 2 to 5 inches long 81
81. All leaflets stemless, twigs glossy wafer ash (rare) 247
81. Terminal leaflet longer stemmed than other two, twigs not glossy poison oak or poison ivy 251
82. Leaflets rounded toward tips 83
82. Leaflets acute or acuminate 84
83. Twigs dark green, leaflets not gland-dotted Eve’s necklace 244
83. Twigs not green, leaflets dotted with tiny amber glands river locust 245
84. Leaf margins smooth or nearly so 84A
84. Leaf margins distinctly toothed or serrate 86
84A. Leaves 1 to 3 feet long, 13 to 41 leaflets, twigs very stout tree of Heaven (rare) 248A
84A. Leaves less than 1 foot long, 8 to 21 leaflets, twigs not very stout 85
85. Leafy wings along stems between leaflets with odd leaflet at tip winged or dwarf sumac 250
85. Leaf stem not or rarely winged between leaflets without odd leaflet at tip soapberry (wild chinaberry) 257
86. Leaflets 5 to 7 87
86. Leaflets 9 to 31 88
87. Terminal leaflet usually broader toward tip and at least twice as large as lowest pair hickory 211
87. Terminal leaflet not broader toward tip and not much larger than others Spanish or Texas buckeye 256
88. Twigs reddish or purplish, a shrub smooth sumac 249
88. Twigs neither reddish nor purplish, trees 89
89. Pith of twigs dark and chambered black walnut 208
89. Pith of twigs not dark, continuous 90
90. Nut nearly cylindric, seed sweet pecan 209
90. Nut 4-angled, seed bitter bitter pecan (rare) 210
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Leaves Compound and Opposite
91. Vines 92
91. Not vines 94
92. Leaves palmately compound (alternate) Virginia creeper 262
92. Leaves not palmately compound 93
93. Twice-pinnately compound (alternate) pepper vine 263
93. Once-pinnate trumpet creeper 280
94. Palmately compound fetid or Ohio buckeye 258
94. Not palmately compound 95
95. With terminal leaflet 96
95. Without terminal leaflet mesquite 240
96. Twice-pinnately compound (alternate) chinaberry 248
96. Once-pinnate 97
97. Leaflets 5 to 11, usually 7, twigs not bright green 98
97. Leaflets 3 to 5 (rarely 7 or 9), twigs bright green box elder 255
98. Twigs brownish gray, lenticels obscure, flowers and fruits in cymes, shrubs elderberry 286
98. Twigs greenish gray or gray, whitish lenticels noticeable, flowers and fruits in panicles, trees 99
99. Leaves bright or yellowish green on both sides, leaf-scar of twig straight or nearly so on upper edge green ash 275
99. Leaves dark green above, paler below, leaf-scar of twig concave or notched on upper edge white ash 274
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about ½ natural size
260 New Jersey tea; fruit
276 spring herald
261 rattan vine
268 St. Andrew’s cross
252 aromatic sumac
264 cow-itch vine
284 Indian current
253 swamp holly
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about ¼ natural size
254 waahoo
265 Cissus ampelopsis
285 black haw
278 French mulberry
271 dwarf dogwood
283 bush honeysuckle
282 coral honeysuckle
277 swamp privet
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about ¼ natural size
280 trumpet creeper
244 Eve’s necklace
246 prickly ash
245 river locust
249 smooth sumac
256 Texas buckeye
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about ¼ natural size
248 chinaberry
262 Virginia creeper
250 winged sumac
263 pepper vine
257 soapberry
258 Ohio buckeye
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about ¼ natural size
247 wafer ash
251 poison ivy
230 Canada moonseed
259 Indian cherry
286 elderberry
255 box elder
229 Carolina moonseed
228 wooly pipevine
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