Rhus microphylla Engelm. ex A. Gray
Littleleaf desert sumac, littleleaf sumac, desert sumac, scrub sumac
Littleleaf sumac is native to arid regions in southern North America.
Plants: Perennial deciduous shrubs or small trees are up to 15′ (4.5 m). Crooked branches form an intricate maze. Bark is dark green to black, smooth when young, becoming scaly.
Leaves: Green or dull green, sometimes leathery, sometimes shiny. Leaves are ⅜–1½″ (1–4 cm) long, odd pinnate, with 5-9 leaflets.
Flowers: Flowers are white, yellow-white, or green, appearing at leaf axils or leaf tips in dense compound spikes. They appear before the leaves, from March to May.
Fruits: Red-orange drupes, each ¼″ (6.3 mm) around, appear in dense clusters.
Habitats: Washes, canyons, arroyos, dry mesas and slopes, scrubby uplands. It prefers sandstone, limestone and granitic substrates.
Online References:
8/27/2014 · Petroglyph National Monument Visitor Center, New Mexico · ≈ 10 × 7″ (25 × 16 cm) 
5/25/2009 · Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Superior, Arizona · ≈ 8 × 6″ (21 × 14 cm) 
8/27/2014 · Petroglyph National Monument Visitor Center, New Mexico · ≈ 13 × 8″ (32 × 21 cm) 
8/27/2014 · Petroglyph National Monument Visitor Center, New Mexico · ≈ 10 × 7″ (25 × 16 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Rosidae | Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more |
| Order | Sapindales | Includes citrus; maples, horse-chestnuts, lychees and rambutans; mangos and cashews; frankincense and myrrh; mahogany and neem |
| Family | Anacardiaceae | Cashew or sumac family |
| Genus | Rhus | From Greek rhous, ancient name for sumac |
| Species | microphylla | “Small-leaved” |
Rhus microphylla description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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