henrythesick's Favorites

The most impressive individual of this species that I've ever encountered, growing in a soul-breaking, depressing culture slum on the outskirts of Cleveland. The landscaping in most of the region induces absolute nausea and imbibes a feeling of having been spiritually abandoned, implying the habits of a species of territorial, conformist eusocial primate that was gifted sentience far too early in its evolution by a toying God only for the purposes of his own amusement, but this beast of a specimen of Toxicodendron radicans was a little bright spot in an otherwise spiritually-crushing landscape, as well as one of the few native plants around. Growing 20' up a planted Scotch Pine (Pinus sylvestris) next to a motel and an office building. Stem diameter ten feet up the trunk of the host plant easily 3-5".

Problem V. dentatum-type material with abundant stiff pubescence on both leaf surfaces, all around petioles, fresh twigs, no stipules, too much hair in too many places for var. lucidum, hair traits not a good match for the short dense stellate pubescence of var. venosum.

Really not sure how else I can identify this due to the stellate pubescence on leaf undersides and petioles, and appearing to lack stipules. Way out of known NY range and habitat is weird, but close to the northern limit in western PA based on VA tech's range map: https://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=357 I'll have to see if I can relocate this, didn't pay it much attention at the time.