Toxicodendron vernix, commonly known as poison sumac,[4] or swamp-sumach,[5] is a woody shrub or small tree growing to 9 metres (30 feet) tall.[6][7] It was previously known as Rhus vernix. This plant is also known as thunderwood, particularly where it occurs in the southern United States. All parts of the plant contain a resin called urushiol that causes skin and mucous membrane irritation to humans. Urushiol is the same chemical that poison ivy is covered in. When the plant is 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.
Poison sumac is a shrub or small tree, growing up to nearly 9 metres (30 feet) in height. Each pinnate leaf has 7–13 leaflets, each of which is 5–10 centimetres (2–4 inches) long. These are oval-to-oblong; acuminate (tapering to a sharp point); cuneate (wedge-shaped) at the base; undulate (wavy-edged); with an underside that is glabrous (hairless) or slightly pubescent (down-like hair) beneath. The stems along the leaflets are red and the leaves can have a reddish tint to them, particularly at the top of the plant. New bark for a poison sumac tree is lightish gray, and as the bark ages, it becomes darker.
Its flowers are greenish, growing in loose axillary panicles (clusters) 8–20 cm (3–8 in) long. The fruits are subglobose (not quite spherical), whitish-gray, flattened, and about 0.5 cm (1⁄4 in) across; these are eaten by birds.[8]
Poison sumac fruit are creamy white and part of a cluster. Typically, they are around 4 to 5 millimetres (5⁄32 to 3⁄16 in) in size.
Poison sumac
Distribution and habitatedit
Poison sumac grows exclusively in wet and clay soils, usually in swamps and peat bogs, in the eastern United States and extreme southeast Canada.[4]
Ecologyedit
The fruit and leaves of the poison sumac plant contain urushiol, an oil that causes an allergic rash upon contact with skin. They are, however, not toxic to birds or other animals, and eaten by them when other food is scarce, especially in winter.[9]
In terms of its potential to cause urushiol-induced contact dermatitis, poison sumac is more toxic than its relatives poison ivy and poison oak.
The differences in toxicity in poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are due to differences in the side chains of the chemicals in these plants. In general, poison ivy has a C15 side chain, poison oak has a C17 side chain and poison sumac has a C13 side chain.
The dermatitis shows itself in painful and long continued swellings and eruptions.[6] In the worst case, smoke inhaled by burning poison sumac leads to life-threatening pulmonary edema whereby fluid enters the alveoli.[10]
^Maiz-Tome, L. (2016). "Toxicodendron vernix". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T64325354A67731112. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T64325354A67731112.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
^"NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
^"Toxicodendron vernix (L.) Kuntze". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
^ abUSDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Toxicodendron vernix". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
^Kalm, Pehr (1772). Travels into North America: containing its natural history, and a circumstantial account of its plantations and agriculture in general, with the civil, ecclesiastical and commercial state of the country, the manners of the inhabitants, and several curious and important remarks on various subjects. Translated by Johann Reinhold Forster. London: T. Lowndes. p. 60. ISBN9780665515002. OCLC 1083889360.
^ abKeeler, Harriet L. (1900). Our Native Trees and How to Identify Them. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. pp. 94–96.
^Rucker, Colby. "Tall Trees of Maryland". Maryland's Tallest Native Tree Species. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
^Niering, William A.; Olmstead, Nancy C. (1985) [1979]. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Eastern Region. Knopf. p. 327. ISBN0-394-50432-1.
^Little, Elbert L. (1980). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Eastern Region. New York: Knopf. p. 553. ISBN0-394-50760-6.
^"Poison Sumac". The Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison Sumac Site.
Guin, Jere; Gillis, William; Beaman, John (January 1981). "Recognizing the Toxicodendrons (poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac)". Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 4 (1): 99–114. doi:10.1016/S0190-9622(81)70014-8. PMID 6451640.
Epstein, William L. (March 1987). "The Poison Ivy Picker of Pennypack Park: The Continuing Saga of Poison Ivy". Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 88 (3 Suppl): 7s–11s. doi:10.1111/1523-1747.ep12468865 (inactive 2024-04-10). PMID 2950182.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of April 2024 (link)
Frankel, Edward (1991). Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison Sumac and Their Relatives; Pistachios, Mangoes and Cashews. Pacific Grove, California: Boxwood Press. ISBN978-0-940168-18-3..
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Toxicodendron vernix.
Poison ivy / oak / sumac in "The Medicinal Herb FAQ".
The Poison Sumac Page—Photos and facts about poison sumac.
Poison Oak 2015-10-06 at the Wayback Machine at Wayne's Word.
Toxicodendron vernix
January 01, 1970
toxicodendron, vernix, commonly, known, poison, sumac, swamp, sumach, woody, shrub, small, tree, growing, metres, feet, tall, previously, known, rhus, vernix, this, plant, also, known, thunderwood, particularly, where, occurs, southern, united, states, parts, . Toxicodendron vernix commonly known as poison sumac 4 or swamp sumach 5 is a woody shrub or small tree growing to 9 metres 30 feet tall 6 7 It was previously known as Rhus vernix This plant is also known as thunderwood particularly where it occurs in the southern United States All parts of the plant contain a resin called urushiol that causes skin and mucous membrane irritation to humans Urushiol is the same chemical that poison ivy is covered in When the plant is 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 Poison sumac Poison sumac leaves Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Secure NatureServe 2 Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Clade Angiosperms Clade Eudicots Clade Rosids Order Sapindales Family Anacardiaceae Genus Toxicodendron Species T vernix Binomial name Toxicodendron vernix L Kuntze Synonyms 3 List Rhus aequalis Pers Rhus venenata DC Rhus vernix L Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Ecology 4 Toxicity 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksDescription editPoison sumac is a shrub or small tree growing up to nearly 9 metres 30 feet in height Each pinnate leaf has 7 13 leaflets each of which is 5 10 centimetres 2 4 inches long These are oval to oblong acuminate tapering to a sharp point cuneate wedge shaped at the base undulate wavy edged with an underside that is glabrous hairless or slightly pubescent down like hair beneath The stems along the leaflets are red and the leaves can have a reddish tint to them particularly at the top of the plant New bark for a poison sumac tree is lightish gray and as the bark ages it becomes darker Its flowers are greenish growing in loose axillary panicles clusters 8 20 cm 3 8 in long The fruits are subglobose not quite spherical whitish gray flattened and about 0 5 cm 1 4 in across these are eaten by birds 8 Poison sumac fruit are creamy white and part of a cluster Typically they are around 4 to 5 millimetres 5 32 to 3 16 in in size nbsp Poison sumacDistribution and habitat editPoison sumac grows exclusively in wet and clay soils usually in swamps and peat bogs in the eastern United States and extreme southeast Canada 4 Ecology editThe fruit and leaves of the poison sumac plant contain urushiol an oil that causes an allergic rash upon contact with skin They are however not toxic to birds or other animals and eaten by them when other food is scarce especially in winter 9 Toxicity editMain article Urushiol induced contact dermatitis In terms of its potential to cause urushiol induced contact dermatitis poison sumac is more toxic than its relatives poison ivy and poison oak The differences in toxicity in poison ivy poison oak and poison sumac are due to differences in the side chains of the chemicals in these plants In general poison ivy has a C15 side chain poison oak has a C17 side chain and poison sumac has a C13 side chain The dermatitis shows itself in painful and long continued swellings and eruptions 6 In the worst case smoke inhaled by burning poison sumac leads to life threatening pulmonary edema whereby fluid enters the alveoli 10 nbsp Poison sumac at Cedarburg Bog State Natural Area in Ozaukee County WisconsinSee also editTecnu skin cleanserReferences edit Maiz Tome L 2016 Toxicodendron vernix IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T64325354A67731112 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 1 RLTS T64325354A67731112 en Retrieved 19 November 2021 NatureServe Explorer 2 0 explorer natureserve org Retrieved 26 October 2022 Toxicodendron vernix L Kuntze Plants of the World Online Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew 2017 Retrieved 27 September 2020 a b USDA NRCS n d Toxicodendron vernix The PLANTS Database plants usda gov Greensboro North Carolina National Plant Data Team Retrieved 12 December 2015 Kalm Pehr 1772 Travels into North America containing its natural history and a circumstantial account of its plantations and agriculture in general with the civil ecclesiastical and commercial state of the country the manners of the inhabitants and several curious and important remarks on various subjects Translated by Johann Reinhold Forster London T Lowndes p 60 ISBN 9780665515002 OCLC 1083889360 a b Keeler Harriet L 1900 Our Native Trees and How to Identify Them New York Charles Scribner s Sons pp 94 96 Rucker Colby Tall Trees of Maryland Maryland s Tallest Native Tree Species Retrieved 20 January 2012 Niering William A Olmstead Nancy C 1985 1979 The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers Eastern Region Knopf p 327 ISBN 0 394 50432 1 Little Elbert L 1980 The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees Eastern Region New York Knopf p 553 ISBN 0 394 50760 6 Poison Sumac The Poison Ivy Poison Oak Poison Sumac Site Further reading editGladman Aaron June 2006 Toxicodendron Dermatitis Poison Ivy Oak and Sumac Wilderness amp Environmental Medicine 17 2 120 128 doi 10 1580 PR31 05 1 PMID 16805148 Guin Jere Gillis William Beaman John January 1981 Recognizing the Toxicodendrons poison ivy poison oak and poison sumac Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 4 1 99 114 doi 10 1016 S0190 9622 81 70014 8 PMID 6451640 Epstein William L March 1987 The Poison Ivy Picker of Pennypack Park The Continuing Saga of Poison Ivy Journal of Investigative Dermatology 88 3 Suppl 7s 11s doi 10 1111 1523 1747 ep12468865 inactive 2024 04 10 PMID 2950182 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a CS1 maint DOI inactive as of April 2024 link Frankel Edward 1991 Poison Ivy Poison Oak Poison Sumac and Their Relatives Pistachios Mangoes and Cashews Pacific Grove California Boxwood Press ISBN 978 0 940168 18 3 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Toxicodendron vernix Poison ivy oak sumac in The Medicinal Herb FAQ The Poison Sumac Page Photos and facts about poison sumac Poison Oak Archived 2015 10 06 at the Wayback Machine at Wayne s Word Toxicodendron vernix Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Toxicodendron vernix amp oldid 1218249810, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
