R. W. Smith

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Dry sandy forests (especially oak), often on old dunes; fence-rows; mixed deciduous forests and swamps.

Some leaves have a characteristic “mitten” shape with one lobe as a “thumb,” others have two “thumbs,” and others are unlobed; all three shapes occur on the same plant, often even on the same branch; rarely, more than 3 lobes occur (Wagner, 2000). The twigs and undersides of the leaves vary from glabrous to pubescent. Plants often grow in colonies from root suckers; old clones of large trees sometimes survive into mature forests.

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