Subkey III. Opposite Simple-leaved Trees and Shrubs

compiled by Dave Richardson

1a. Leaves not toothed, although sometimes wavy-edged.
- 2a. Young stems covered with dense gray hairs; leaves thick, somewhat fleshy, grayish, untoothed to sharply toothed, 2.5-10 cm. long; stems ankle- to waist-high; spreads by rhizomes as well as by seeds; flowers yellow; seed heads burlike because of sharp hard bracts.....Sea Ox-eye, Borrichia frutescens, (BRRFRT).
- 2b. Young stems not covered with dense gray hairs.
  - 3a. Leaves more or less heart-shaped, especially at base.....Princess-Tree, Paulownia tomentosa, (PLWTMN).
  - 3b. Leaves narrow at base, with numerous tiny transparent dots visible when held up to light? (use lens); twigs slender, round, ridged; larger branches shreddy; small barely woody sprawling shrub, possibly erect up to 90 cm. tall.....St. Andrew's Cross, Hypericum/Ascyrum hypericoides, (HYPHYP).
1b. Leaves definitely toothed.
- 4a. Fine teeth; gray-scaly or gray-hairy twigs; leaves white-wooly beneath; violet-colored fruit clusters.....Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana, (CLLAMR).
- 4b. Foliage with 6-15 pairs of large coarse teeth; leaves somewhat fleshy, at least upper ones narrow to elliptical; greenish nodding flower heads in leafy spikes.....Marsh Elder, Iva frutescens, (IVAFRT).
1c. Leaves lobed with 3-5 lobes, silvery white beneath; twigs not red-hairy and leaves not oak-like.....Red Maple, Acer rubrum, (ACRRBR).