This southeastern species occurs mostly on hydric soils along larger streams in the Gulf Coastal Plain and lower Mississippi Rv. valley, extending as far north as c Ill and c. Ind. (K).. It flowers later than most other species, in mid- to late June. The disjunct records from HENR (EKY; Duncan 1967), POWE (EKY) and ROBE (EKY), with only vegetative colls., need further verification. More complete colls. are needed to distinguish palmata from vulpina in some regions; see notes under vulpina. Distinctive features of palmata include (Y): relatively small (ca. 5-14 x 4-9 cm), deeply lobed leaves (about half way to midrib), largely glabrous except along veins below; branchlets reddish or purplish, with fresh diaphragms 2.5-4 mm thick (versus 1-2.5 mm); fruits slightly glaucous or not at all (versus strongly glaucous). Young or vigorous shoots of vulpina can resemble palmata. Together, palmata plus vulpina differ from the cinerea complex (baileyana, cinerea, floridana) as follows (FNA 12, W): branchlets of the season more or less terete (versus angled), glabrous or sparsely arachnoid-pubescent (versus usually arachnoid- or hirtellous-pubescent); mature 3-4 seeded berries mostly 8-12 mm mm in diameter (versus 4-8 mm); nodes usually not banded with red pigmentation (versus frequently so).