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poison sumac |
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Poison sumac |
The plant Toxicodendron vernix (previously in the genus Rhus), a member of the sumac family (Anacardiaceae). It is an inhabitant of swamps ranging from Quebec to Minnesota, and southward to Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. It is a tall bush or small tree bearing pinnately compound leaves with 7–13 entire (without marginal teeth) leaflets, and drooping, axillary clusters of persisting white fruits (see illustration). Like poison ivy, this plant is poisonous to touch, causing in many persons a severe inflammation of the skin, or dermatitis. The presence of white fruit separates this species from the nonpoisonous sumacs with their red fruits. See also Hypersensitivity; Sapindales.
Poison sumac fruits and leaf (Toxicodendron vernix).
Wikipedia:
Poison sumac |
| Poison sumac | |
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| Poison sumac leaves | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Anacardiaceae |
| Genus: | Toxicodendron |
| Species: | T. vernix |
| Binomial name | |
| Toxicodendron vernix Kuntze |
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Poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix or Rhus vernix) is a woody shrub or small tree growing to 7 m (20 ft) tall.[1] All parts of the plant contain a resin called urushiol that causes skin and mucous membrane irritation to humans. When burned, inhalation of the smoke may cause the rash to appear on the lining of the lungs, causing extreme pain and possibly fatal respiratory difficulty.
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Poison sumac grows exclusively in very wet or flooded soils, usually in swamps and peat bogs, in the eastern United States and Canada.[2]
In terms of its potential to cause urushiol-induced contact dermatitis, Poison sumac is far more virulent than its relatives poison ivy and poison oak. According to some botanists, poison sumac is the most toxic plant species in the United States (Frankel, 1991).
The poison shows itself in painful and long continued swellings and eruptions.[1] Specific information on prevention and treatment of Toxicodendron rashes is provided in Urushiol-induced contact dermatitis.
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| rhus |
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 1994-2009 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Sci-Tech Encyclopedia. McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Poison sumac". Read more |
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