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  Poaceae: Thinopyrum intermedium

  R. Neil Reese

  Thinopyrum intermedium is a perennial, cool-season grass with a fibrous root system and long, stout, creeping rhizomes, forming dense, spreading sods. Mature plants typically reach 90–150 cm in height. Stems are erect, round, smooth, and hollow, with distinct nodes and internodes. Leaves are alternate, simple, linear, 15–30 cm long and 3–10 mm wide, with flat or slightly inrolled blades, scabrous margins, and a prominent midvein; the upper surface is green and smooth or slightly rough, while the lower surface is paler. Leaf sheaths are open and smooth with a prominent, membranous ligule 1–2 mm long at the junction of the blade and sheath; auricles are absent. Flowering occurs from June to July, with inflorescences forming narrow, erect, spike-like racemes (spikes) 8–20 cm long, each with 40–60 closely spaced, sessile spikelets arranged alternately along the central axis. Each spikelet is 12–18 mm long, flattened, and contains 5–10 florets. Glumes are lanceolate, 8–12 mm long, green to straw-colored, and rough-edged. Each fertile floret has three stamens with yellow anthers (2–3 mm long) and a pistil with two feathery stigmas. The fruit is a dry, ellipsoid caryopsis (grain), 6–8 mm long, brownish when mature, and matures from July to August. Intermediate wheatgrass is introduced in South Dakota, native to Europe and western Asia, and is now widely established in prairies, pastures, conservation plantings, roadsides, and disturbed areas, especially in moderately moist, well-drained soils under full sun.

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  Poaceae : Zizania palustris

  R. Neil Reese

  Zizania palustris is an annual, solitary-stemmed grass that can grow to over 2 m tall. The erect culms are round, hollow and smooth except at the nodes where they can be hairy. There are both basal and alternat leaves on the culm. Early leaves float on the water’s surface. The leaf blades are rolled in the bud and flat at maturity, 5-100 cm long and 5-35 mm wide. The leaf sheaths are open, smooth with hairs at the collar and base, with a membranous ligule 7-20 mm long. the inflorescence is a much-branched panicle, 15-60 cm long, with male (staminate) spikelets below and female (pistilate) spikelets above. The branches are initially erect with the staminate ones spreading or drooping at maturity. The male spikelets are reddish in color, with 6 stamens that are 4-6 mm long. The female spikelets are paler, 12-15 mm long with a terminal awn 2.5-6.5 cm long. Both the staminate and pistilate spikelets lack glumes (bracts). The fruit is a dark, slender cylindrical grain up to 30 mm long and 2 mm wide. Northern wild rice blooms in July and August on the margins of streams lakes and ponds along the eastern and southern borders of South Dakota.

  Synonyms: Zizania aquatica var. interior, Z. interior

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  Typhaceae : Typha angustifolia

  R. Neil Reese

  Typha angustifolia is a perennial herb of wetlands, arising from a stout, creeping rhizome and forming dense colonies, with simple stems reaching up to 3 m tall. The alternate leaves are both basal and cauline, stiff, linear and flat, green, 6-10 mm wide, the uppermost leaves usually reaching well above the flowering spikes. The rounded leaf sheath has a narrow papery edging, near the tip of the sheath where it meets the blade, especially the on upper leaves. The single stems are unbranched, erect and light green. The plants are monoecious, with the brown male flower spike above, up to 20 cm long, separated by 1-8 cm of bare rachis. The brown female spike is about the same length and width, reaching up to 2 cm in diameter in fruit. The fruit is an achene covered in white hairs and with a short stalk. Narrowleaf cattail blooms from May into July in wetlands throughout South Dakota.

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  Typhaceae : Typha latifolia

  R. Neil Reese

  Typha latifolia is a perennial herb of wetlands, arising from a stout, creeping rhizome and forming dense colonies, with simple stems reaching up to 3 m tall. The alternate leaves are both basal and cauline, stiff, linear and flat, green, 10-25 mm wide, the uppermost leaves usually not reaching much above the flowering spikes. The squarish leaf sheath has a narrow papery edging, near the tip of the sheath where it meets the blade. The single stems are unbranched, erect and light green. The plants are monoecious, with the yellowish male flower spike above, up to 25 cm long, generally directly adjacent to the female spike, and the flowers are rapidly deciduous after anthesis. The brown female spike is about the same length and width as the male, reaching up to 3.6 cm in diameter in fruit. The fruit is an achene covered in white hairs and with a short stalk. Broadleaf cattail blooms from May into July in wetlands throughout South Dakota.

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  Aceraceae: Acer glabrum

  R Neil Reese

  Acer glabrum is a deciduous shrub or small tree typically growing 3 to 9 meters tall, characterized by smooth to slightly rough bark. Leaves are opposite, simple, and palmately lobed with 3 to 5 lobes, measuring 5 to 12 centimeters long and 6 to 14 centimeters wide, with petioles about 3 to 9 centimeters long. Leaves are glabrous or sparsely hairy. Flowering occurs from April to June, with flowers borne in small corymbs. Each flower is about 5 to 8 millimeters in diameter, having five greenish-yellow petals approximately 2 to 3 millimeters long and 1 to 1.5 millimeters wide, and five green sepals roughly 1.5 to 3 millimeters long and 0.5 to 1.5 millimeters wide. There are eight stamens inserted around the ovary, with filaments about 3 to 5 millimeters long and small anthers. The pistil consists of two fused carpels forming a superior ovary, with a short style and a bifid stigma. The fruit is a paired samara with wings spreading at nearly 180 degrees, each samara about 15 to 25 millimeters long and 5 to 7 millimeters wide, maturing from late summer to early fall. Rocky Mountain maple is native to western North America and is found in South Dakota primarily in the Black Hills, growing in montane forests and along stream banks.

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  Aceraceae : Acer negundo

  R. Neil Reese

  Acer negundo is a perennial short-lived tree growing to about 25 to 35 meters. Leaves are opposite compound pinnate with three to seven leaflets. Leaflets are 5 to 10 centimeters long and three to seven centimeters wide. Flowers appear in the spring with staminate flowers that have 3-5 stamens, hang in clusters at the tips of branches and are often maroon in color. Pistillate flowers on drooping clusters of 6-12 flowers having 3-5 sepals and a 2-parted style. The fruit is a winged double samara. The trees are dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate trees.

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  Aceraceae: Acer saccharinum

  R. Neil Reese

  Acer saccharinum is a fast-growing, deciduous tree with a widespread, shallow fibrous root system. Mature trees typically reach 15–30 meters in height, with a broad, rounded to open crown and often multiple trunks. Bark on young stems is smooth and light gray, becoming deeply furrowed and scaly with age. Leaves are opposite, simple, palmately lobed with 5 deeply cut lobes, 10–20 cm long and wide, with coarsely toothed margins. The upper leaf surface is bright green and smooth or slightly rough, while the lower surface is covered with silvery hairs. Petioles are long, 5–15 cm, often reddish. Flowering occurs in early spring (March to April) before leaf emergence. Flowers are found in clusters of 3 to 6, each flower has 4 to 5 small, inconspicuous, and often yellowish-green or reddish sepals and no petals Both male and female flowers have can be on separate trees or on separate branches on the same tree or occasionally within the same flower cluster. Males flowers have 3-7 (12), erect stamens, 5–6 mm long. The females have two bright red, short (barely visible) arching styles. The fruit is a paired samara with wings spreading nearly horizontally, 3–5 cm long, each nutlet 1–1.5 cm wide, maturing from May to June. Silver maple is native to South Dakota and is commonly found along rivers, floodplains, wetlands, and moist woodlands, preferring rich, moist, well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade.

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  Aceraceae: Acer saccharum

  R. Neil Reese

  Acer saccharum is a large, deciduous tree, commonly reaching heights of 20–35 meters with a broad, rounded crown and a strong central trunk. Its root system is deep and extensive, supporting its longevity and drought resistance. The bark is grayish-brown, initially smooth, but developing vertical fissures and shaggy plates with age. Leaves are opposite, simple, and palmately lobed with 5 distinct, deep lobes; blades are 8–15 cm long and wide, dark green above and paler below, turning brilliant shades of yellow, orange, or red in autumn. Flowers are small, yellow-green, and appear in pendulous clusters (corymbs) before leaf-out in early spring; each flower has five petals and is functionally unisexual, with trees often monoecious or dioecious. The fruit is a paired samara, each wing 2–3 cm long, maturing from green to brown in late summer. Sugar maple is native to the hardwood forests of eastern North America, from southern Canada through the northeastern U.S. and extending into the eastern edge of South Dakota. It is mainly found as an ornamental or planted in windbreaks throughout the state.

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  Anacardiaceae : Rhus glabra

  R. Neil Reese

  Rhus glabra is a shrub to small tree with a spreading, open habit, growing from 3 to 5 m tall and spreading by root suckers to form dense thickets. The young stems and branches are hairless or nearly so and waxy. The bark on older wood is smooth and grey to brown. The compound pinnate leaves are alternate, 30-50 cm long with very short petioles (4-7 mm long). Each leaf has 11–31 oppositely paired leaflets, each leaflet lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 7-9 cm long, with a toothed margin. The leaves turn scarlet in the fall. The inflorescence is a dense terminal panicle 10-20 cm long, with numerous tiny green flowers. The fruit are compressed crimson drupes 3.5-4.5 mm in diameter, and they remain throughout the winter. The seeds are yellowish, smooth and about 3 mm long. Smooth sumac bloom in May and June and the fruit ripen in August and September. They are common in open woodlands in thickets, prairies, and roadsides throughout South Dakota.

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  Anacardiaceae: Rhus trilobata

  R. Neil Reese

  Rhus trilobata is a deciduous shrub, upright, ascending or spreading, 2-3 m tall, branches covered with short hairs when young. The compound leaves are alternate, trifoliate, petiolate, the leaflets are each elliptic to obovate, 1.5-2.5 cm long, with a wedge-shaped base and a few rounded teeth. The terminal leaflet is often 3-lobed. Leaves and branches have an strong unpleasant odor. The inflorescence is a terminal compound spike of dioecious catkins (0.5-2 cm) with 5-merous flowers that have greenish sepals, united at the base and greenish white to creamy yellow petals. Fruit is a subglobose drupe, orange-red, 5-7 mm in diameter wide with red glandular and translucent hairs. Skunkbrush sumac flowers in the spring (April – June) with leaves and flowers often appearing at the same time. This shrub is found on wooded hillsides, in canyons and prairie ravines mostly on the western side of South Dakota.

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  Anacardiaceae: Rhus typhina

  R Neil Reese

  Rhus typhina is a shrub to small tree with a spreading, open habit, growing from 3 to 5 m tall and spreading by root suckers to form dense thickets. The young stems, leaf petioles and buds are densely covered with rust colored hairs. The bark on older wood is smooth and grey to brown. The compound pinnate leaves are alternate, 25-55 cm long with very short petioles (4-7 mm long). Each leaf has 9–31 oppositely paired leaflets, each leaflet lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 6–11 cm long, with a toothed margin. The leaves turn scarlet in the fall. The inflorescence is a dense terminal panicle 10-20 cm long, with numerous tiny green flowers. The fruit are compressed crimson drupes 3.5-4.5 mm in diameter with knobby hairs on much of the surface. The fruit remain on the plants throughout the winter. The seeds are yellowish, smooth and about 3 mm long. Staghorn sumac bloom in May and June and the fruit ripen in August and September. They are common in open woodlands in thickets, prairies, and roadsides throughout South Dakota.

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  Anacardiaceae: Toxicodendron rydbergii

  R Neil Reese

  Toxicodendron rydbergii is a perennial shrub or subshrub with simple, unbranched stems 0.3-2 m in height and growing from branched subterranean stolons that often form thickets. Leaves are compound ternate, often drooping, each group of 3 at the end of a long stalk alternately attached to the woody main stem. Leaflets are up to 16 cm long and 11 cm wide, the center leaflet ovate to rhomboid, pointed at the tip and rounded or tapering at the base with toothed margins. The 2 lateral leaflets sessile or with short petioles and asymmetrical in shape, toothless or having a few large teeth, sometimes just on one side. The upper leaf surface is hairless and shiny, becoming dull with age; the underside is lighter in color with a few hairs along the midvein. Flowers are in small, paniculate clusters that arise from the leaf axils. Each small flower 1-3 mm across, has 5 sepals that are fused and green below and cream colored and free above. The 5 petals are cream colored with purplish veins and yellow stamens are usually visible. The fruit is a whit to yellowish globose drupe 4-7 mm in diameter that often persist into the next year. Poison ivy blooms in May and June and sometimes again later in the summer. Plants are found on prairie hillsides, stream banks, flood plains, roadsides and open woodlands throughout South Dakota.

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  Berberidaceae: Mahonia repens

  R. Neil Reese

  Mahonia repens is a low-growing, evergreen shrub typically reaching 15 to 30 cm in height but spreading widely by trailing stems, forming dense mats. The plant has a woody root system and spreads by creeping stems that root at the nodes. Stems are wiry and covered with a smooth to slightly hairy bark. Leaves are alternate, pinnately compound with 5 to 9 leaflets, each leaflet measuring about 3 to 7 cm long and 1 to 3 cm wide. Leaflets are broadly elliptic to oblong with spiny-toothed margins and a leathery, glossy surface. Leaves have short petioles about 1 to 3 cm long. The inflorescence is a raceme of small, fragrant yellow flowers blooming from late spring to early summer (May–July). Each flower has six sepals and six petals arranged in two whorls; sepals are greenish yellow, about 4 to 6 mm long and 2 to 3 mm wide, ovate and spreading. The petals are bright yellow, about 6 to 8 mm long and 3 to 4 mm wide, obovate with rounded tips. Flowers have nine stamens with spurred filaments and a superior ovary. The fruit is a blue to dark purple berry about 6 to 10 mm in diameter with a waxy coating maturing in summer. In South Dakota, Oregon grape is native and found in forest understories, rocky slopes, and shaded areas primarily in the Black Hills region.

  Synonym: Berberis repens

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  Betulaceae: Betula papyrifera

  R. Neil Reese

  Betula papyrifera is a medium to large deciduous tree, reaching 15–25 meters tall, with a shallow, wide-spreading root system and reproducing sexually by seed and vegetatively by stump or root sprouting. The trunk is slender, up to 60 cm in diameter, with thin, white, peeling bark marked by horizontal lenticels and often curling in papery sheets; younger bark may be reddish-brown. Twigs are slender, reddish-brown, and lack hairs. Leaves are alternate, simple, ovate to rhombic, typically 5 to 10 centimeters long and 4 to 8 centimeters wide, with doubly serrate margins and a pointed apex and a rounded or heart-shaped base. Petioles are slender and about 1 to 3 centimeters long. Both leaf surfaces are hairless or sparsely hairy when young, and leaves turn bright yellow in autumn. Flowering occurs in early spring before or as the leaves unfurl. Flowers are borne in separate male and female catkins on the same tree (monoecious). Male catkins are pendulous, cylindrical, and 3 to 8 centimeters long, releasing pollen in early spring before leaf emergence. Female catkins are shorter, erect, and take the growing season to mature. Male flowers have several stamens with pollen-producing anthers; female flowers consist of superior ovaries. Fruits are small winged nutlets (samara-like), clustered in cone-like catkins that open in fall to release seeds. Seeds mature in late summer to fall Paper Birch is native to South Dakota and widespread in moist woods, streambanks, lakeshores, and upland slopes, especially in the Black Hills and northern parts of the state.

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  Betulaceae: Corylus americana

  R Neil Reese

  Corylus americana is a perennial, monoecious shrub that grows, from rhizomes to a height of roughly 2.5- 5 m with a crown spread of 3- 4.5 m. Plants are usually multi-stemmed with long branches that produce a dense spreading shape and form thickets by sending up suckers from the underground rhizomes. The young twigs are hairy-glandular. The petiolate leaves are simple, alternate, the blades ovate, pointed at the tip and rounded or heart shaped at the base, 1-12 cm long, doubly toothed and hairy underneath. Male flowers present in the winter and bloom very early in the spring in long (4-8 cm) cylindrical stalked, whitish catkins having numerous crowded flowers, each having a pair of bracts and 4 stamens. The female flowers emerge before the leaves in ovoid brownish catkins of few flowers, with the red styles becoming visible. The fruit are nuts that are solitary or clustered, each enveloped in expanded leafy bracts. America hazelnut grows in upland forests and thickets along the edge of the coteau des prairies in eastern South Dakota.

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  Betulaceae : Corylus cornuta

  R. Neil Reese

  Corylus cornuta is a perennial, monoecious shrub that grows, from rhizomes to a height of roughly 2.5- 5 m with a crown spread of 3- 4.5 m. Plants are usually multi-stemmed with long branches that produce a dense spreading shape and forming thickets by sending up suckers from the underground rhizomes. The young twigs are usually smooth, sometimes sparsely hairy, but lacking glands. The petiolate leaves are simple, alternate, the blades ovate, pointed at the tip and rounded or heart shaped at the base, 4-10 cm long, doubly toothed and hairy underneath. Male flowers present in the winter and bloom very early in the spring in long (4-8 cm) cylindrical, sessile, whitish catkins having numerous crowded flowers, each having a pair of bracts and 4 stamens. The female flowers emerge before the leaves in ovoid brownish catkins of few flowers, with the red styles becoming visible. The fruit are nuts that are solitary or clustered, each enveloped in bristly bracts, partially connate and forming a long beak. Beaked hazelnut grows in upland forests and thickets in western and northeastern South Dakota.

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  Betulaceae Ostrya virginiana

  R Neil Reese

  Ostrya virginiana is a small deciduous, monoecious, understory tree growing to 15 m in height. The older bark is brown to gray-brown, scaly, rough or shaggy. The younger twigs and branches are smoother and gray, with small lenticels. The leaves have a short hairy petiole, the blades are oblong to ovate with a sharp tip, 5–13 cm long and 4–6 cm wide, with a doubly toothed margin. The upper surface is mostly hairless, while the lower surface is sparsely to moderately hairy. The inflorescence consists of male and female catkins. The male catkins are pendulous, 2–5 cm long and the female catkins are 8–15 mm containing 10–30 flowers. The fruit are small nutlets 3–5 mm long and enclosed in a greenish, papery bracts 10–18 mm long and 8–10 mm wide, resembling hops, that turn brown at maturity. Hop-hornbeam blooms in April and May, with fruit maturing in early summer, growing in upland forests of the Black Hills, and southern and eastern South Dakota.

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  Cactaceae : Opuntia polyacantha

  R. Neil Reese

  Opuntia polyacantha is a prostrate, clump-forming perennial, evergreen shrub, rising only to the height of one stem segment (pad). Each stem segment is orbicular, flattened, bluish green to gray, growing to about 12 cm in diameter. The areoles are crowded, generally < 1 cm apart, with 1-10 spines, 2-5 cm long, and various numbers of glochids on each. The upper areoles have more spines than the lower. The flowers develop along the upper edge of the pads, each 4-7 cm wide with numerous tepals, 25–35 mm long, yellow, pink or red. The fruit is globose to ovoid, 2-4 cm long, dry and spiny. The seeds are tan to white and discoid. Prairie pricklypear blooms in May and June (rarely again in September) on dry plains and pastures, especially in sandy soils, in western South Dakota.

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  Caprifoliaceae: Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis

  R. Neil Reese

  Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis is a deciduous shrub or small tree growing 2 to 6 meters tall from a stout root system with furrowed grayish bark on older stems. The plant flowers from May through July. Leaves are opposite and pinnately compound with 5 to 9 ovate to lanceolate leaflets, 7 to 15 cm long and 3 to 6 cm wide, serrated margins, dark green and glabrous above, paler and slightly hairy beneath. The inflorescence is a large, aromatic, flat-topped to slightly rounded cyme or panicle 10 to 20 cm wide, with many small creamy-white flowers approximately 5 to 7 mm in diameter. Each flower has five small, greenish, free sepals that are ovate and about 1 to 2 mm long, and five white, rounded, free petals measuring about 4 to 6 mm long. There are typically 20 to 30 stamens per flower with filaments 3 to 4 mm long inserted around the floral receptacle and yellow anthers 1 to 2 mm long. The pistil is forming a compound ovary with 2 to 3 locules, about 2 to 3 mm long, a slender style approximately 1.5 to 2 mm long, and a small, capitate stigma. The fruit is a round, dark purple to black berry about 5 to 8 mm in diameter that ripens from August to September. American elderberry is native to South Dakota, where it occurs primarily in moist woods, thickets, and along stream banks, scattered throughout the eastern and central parts of the state.

  Synonym: Sambucus canadensis

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  Caprifoliaceae : Sambucus racemosa

  R. Neil Reese

  Sambucus racemosa is a deciduous, perennial shrub with a fibrous root system and occasionally spreading rhizomes, forming dense thickets. Mature plants typically reach 1–4 meters in height. Stems are erect, stout, and gray brown with smooth bark on young shoots that becomes ridged or furrowed with age. Leaves are opposite, pinnately compound, 15–30 cm long, with 5–9 ovate to lanceolate leaflets, each 5–12 cm long and 2–6 cm wide, serrated margins, and pointed tips. Upper leaf surfaces are medium to dark green and glabrous or sparsely hairy, while lower surfaces are paler with fine hairs along the veins. Petioles are 5–10 cm long. Flowering occurs from May to July, with inflorescences forming dense, erect to spreading panicles 10–20 cm long, bearing numerous small, creamy-white, five-petaled flowers. The calyx has five small, green, ovate sepals, about 1–2 mm long, free and persistent. Petals are five, white, obovate to round, 3–5 mm long, free and spreading. Each flower has five stamens with yellow anthers about 1 mm long. The pistil consists of a single ovary with a slender style and capitate stigma. The fruit is a bright red, spherical drupe, 5–8 mm in diameter, maturing from August to September and persisting into winter. Red elderberry is native to South Dakota and is found the Black Hills in moist woodlands, forest edges, stream banks, and thickets, favoring rich, moist, well-drained soils under partial shade.

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  Caprifoliaceae : Viburnum lentago

  R. Neil Reese

  Viburnum lentago is a perennial, multi-stemmed tall shrub or small tree, 2-5 m tall and forming colonies from root suckers. Young stems usually have smooth, gray to reddish brown bark, and on older stems the bark becomes dark gray with deeply checkered furrows. The simple, opposite leaves have long winged petioles (10-30 mm) with stellate reddish-brown hairs at the base. The blades are ovate to broadly elliptic, 5-9 cm long and 3-6 cm wide, the tips pointed, the margins finely toothed, the upper surface dark green and shiny and the lower surface paler. The umbel-like inflorescences are 5-12 cm across sessile at the ends of 1-year old branches. Each flower has a tubular calyx with 5 short lobes and a white, bell to saucer shaped, 5-lobed corolla that is 2.5-3.5 mm long. The 5 stamens are exserted from the corolla. The fruit are dark blue-black, flattened, globose drupes, 10-14 mm long, pulpy with a whitish, waxy coating, each containing a large, flat, yellowish seed. Nannyberry blooms in May and June in open woods, along streambanks and occasionally in ditches in the eastern and western counties of South Dakota.

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  Caprifoliaceae: Viburnum opulus var. americanum

  R. Neil Reese

  Viburnum opulus var. americanum is a deciduous, perennial shrub with a fibrous root system. Mature plants typically reach 2–4 meters in height. Stems are erect, woody, and gray brown with smooth bark on young shoots that becomes ridged with age. Leaves are opposite, simple, and broadly ovate to round, 5–15 cm long and wide, with three to five lobes and sharply serrated margins. The upper leaf surface is dark green and glabrous, while the lower surface is lighter green and finely hairy along the veins. Petioles are present, 2–6 cm long. Flowering occurs from May to June, with inflorescences forming large, flat-topped cymes 5–15 cm across, composed of both showy sterile flowers around the edge and numerous small, fertile flowers in the center. Sterile flowers have five white petals, 10–15 mm long and wide; fertile flowers have smaller, 4–6 mm long petals. Stamens number five per fertile flower, with yellow anthers approximately 1 mm long. The pistil consists of a single ovary with a slender style and capitate stigma. The fruit is a bright red, globose drupe, 8–12 mm in diameter, maturing from September to October. American cranberrybush is native to South Dakota and Viburnum opulus var. opulus, the European cranberrybush, that is native to Europe and parts of Asia, is also naturalized in the state. Both occur in moist woods, thickets, wetlands, and along streams, preferring rich, moist, well-drained soils with partial shade. The two varieties are very similar; they can be distinguished by the glands at the tip of the leaf stalk near the blade. Those of the European variety are typically shorter than wide, oval-elliptic, and bowl or cup shaped with a distinct rim. The native variety has glands that are taller than wide, round to oval, flat or rounded at the tip, and lack a distinct rim.

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  Celastraceae : Celastrus scandens

  R. Neil Reese

  Celastrus scandens is a perennial climbing woody vine with twisting stems that reach up to 18 m long. The plants are dioecious, being either male or female, and spread vegetatively by root suckers. The simple, alternate leaves have petioles 1-3 cm long with short stipules (~1 mm). The blades are elliptic to ovate-oblong 3-10 cm long with a pointed tip and the margins are finely toothed. The greenish, unisexual flowers are borne in narrow racemes or panicles which are 3-8 cm long. The flowers are 5-merous with a cup-shaped calyx, 2-3 mm long, united at the base and spreading petals that are 3-6 mm long. Male flowers have 5 stamens, while female flowers have a single 3-parted ovary. Fruit is an orange or yellowish 3-valved capsule, 8-12 mm in diameter, that splits to expose the fleshy bright orange to red aril-covered seeds. There are 1-2 reddish brown seeds in each locule, elliptical in shape and 5-6 mm long. Bittersweet blooms from May to July in woodlands, thickets and along fence rows in much of South Dakota.

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  Chenopodiaceae: Sarcobatus vermiculatus

  R. Neil Reese

  Sarcobatus vermiculatus is a deciduous shrub with spiny branches, growing 1 to 3 meters tall, from an extensive, fibrous root system, adapted to saline and alkaline soils, producing root sprouts and rhizomes, allowing it to form dense clonal thickets. The plant blooms from May through July. Leaves are alternate, simple, fleshy, and scale-like, 1 to 3 cm long, narrowly ovate to linear, green to gray green in color. The inflorescence consists of dense, spike-like clusters of small, inconspicuous flowers 3 to 5 mm long. Each flower has no true petals or sepals; instead, it is subtended by small, free bracts. Male and female flowers are borne on separate plants (dioecious). Male flowers contain several stamens—typically 5 to 8—with filaments inserted opposite the bracts; anthers are small, about 1 mm long. Female flowers have a single pistil with one carpel, a sessile ovary approximately 1 to 2 mm long, a short style, and a small stigma. The fruit is a small, hard, winged achene about 3 to 4 mm in diameter that matures from August to September. This plant is native to South Dakota, occurring primarily in saline and alkaline flats, playas, and desert shrublands, mostly in the western parts of the state.

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  Cupressaceae: Juniperus communis

  R Neil Reese

  Juniperus communis is a low, spreading evergreen shrub, growing to 1.5 m high, often forming clumps. The young twigs are yellowish and 3-angled and older stems becoming grayish and finally reddish brown with shredding papery bark. The leaves are needle-shaped, waxy, 10-18 mm long, up to 1.5 mm wide, in whorls of 3 and curved sharply just above the base. The plants are dioecious with axillary, sessile pollen-bearing cones that are and mostly single, 3-5 mm long and 1-2 mm wide being produce on male plants. Female plants produce seed cones that are fleshy, dark blue with a waxy bloom, globose, 5-10 mm in diameter, maturing in the second year and contain 1-3 brown seeds. New cones are pollinated in May and June, usually on wooded hillsides in western South Dakota.