eastern leatherwood Thymelaeaceae Dirca palustris

Leaf:Alternate, simple, deciduous, ovate to elliptical, 2 to 4 inches long, thin, dark glossy green above and paler below, margins entire, initially with fine hairs but becoming glabrous, petioles are very short, fall color pale yellow.
Flower:In pendant clusters of three or fewer, individual flowers with yellow petals fused into a tube; appearing in early Spring with or slightly before the leaves.
Fruit:A small drupe to 1/2 long, green changing white to red at maturity.
Twig:Appearing jointed, flexible, gray-brown to red-brown, very flexible and difficult to snap; buds dark brown with a few fuzzy bud scales; leaf scars U-shaped, nearly encircling the bud.
Bark:Gray-brown and smooth, may develop slight corky ridges.
Form:A spindly shrub to 10 feet but more commonly to 5 feet.

leaf flower twig bark form map

Notes: