| Easily-confused! |
|---|
| If your specimen is a: | and has stem/leaf arrangement: | and the leaves have/are: | and the bark is/has: | and the twigs: | and the fruit (if present): | | then you have: |
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| | | | | | | |
| tree | ╫ opposite
(most species)
| ___ smooth,
♦ taper at both ends, and
pass the dogwood leaf test
| no conspicuous lenticels
nor strong colors
| — | —
| | lookalike
dogwood genus Cornus
|
| sub-opposite
| ▴▴▴ small teeth
| dark, lots of light-colored lenticels
inner bark=orange (scrape with knife)
| often have a
terminal thorn
| are small, black, taste disgusting after a few seconds—spit it out
| | lookalike
common buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica
|
| ╟ alternate
| ___ smooth or
▴▴▴▴ very small teeth (use 🔎︎ hand-lens)
| dark, lots of light-colored lenticels
| no
terminal thorn;
hairy
| —
| | lookalike
glossy buckthorn Frangula alnus
|
| no more than waist-high (<1 m) (<3 ft)
| ▲▲ teeth
| —
| no hair
| —
| | lookalike
alderleaf buckthorn Rhamnus alnifolia
|
| tree
| ▲▲ teeth, visible within arm's length
| dark, lots of light-colored lenticels
if mature, looks covered with burnt potato chips/crisps
| — | are small, black, taste like 🍒︎ cherry even if sour
| | this plant, please
continue below …
|