Question: I am trying to determine species of this dogwood which is all throughout my pine/oak woods in north central Mass. …
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Question
I am trying to determine species of this dogwood which is all throughout my pine/oak woods in north central Mass. Some are single stem and some seem to be crawling. The stems are smooth, with reddish tint on new growth. Leaves are hairy underneath. The stem pith is all white. I thought it might be Swida racemosa , gray dogwood, but another person feels this is incorrect. If a photo of another feature is needed, I can take it easily to attach. Thanks in advance.
Answer
Dear Deborah, your plant appears to be Swida altnerifolia. I can see one node clearly on the branches in your picture, and it has a single leaf scar at that node (i.e., the leaves are alternate). However, it is the only node I can see clearly and sometimes leaves deviate from the usual pattern of arrangement. Swida alternifolia has leaves clustered near the apex of the branchlets, so it is sometimes to see what the arrangement actually is. If you can take a picture of the new, expanding growth from the side (so I can see the new leaves attaching to the growing branchlet), I can confirm this for you. Best wishes.
