Shrub or small tree to 10 m; petioles and to some extent the lvs and cymes red-brown-tomentose, especially when young; petioles ±wing-margined, especially toward the base; lvs firm, shining, elliptic to obovate, 5-8 cm, rounded to acute at apex, serrulate, broadly acute to less often rounded at base; cymes sessile, (3)4-rayed, 5-10 cm wide; cor ca 8 mm wide; fr sweetish to tart, mostly blue to purple, glaucous, ellipsoid, 10-15 mm; cal-tube not produced at the end of the fr; 2n=18. Dry or rocky woods and banks; s. Va. to s. O., Mo., and Kans., s. to Fla. and Tex. Apr., May.

Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

©The New York Botanical Garden. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

From Flora of Indiana (1940) by Charles C. Deam

Restricted to the southern part of the state and possibly not extending far beyond the area indicated on the map. All of our specimens are from the slopes of rocky, wooded ravines.

Indiana Coefficient of Conservatism: C = 8

Wetland Indicator Status: FACU

Diagnostic Traits: leaves not lobed, pinnately veined; lateral veins much branched and not clearly ending in a tooth on the serrated leaf margin; petioles stout with a red-brown tomentum that may also persist on lower leaf surface; inflorescences +/- sessile.