Plants in the genus havepinnately compound, alternate leaves and whitish or grayishdrupes. They are quite variable in appearance. The leaves may have smooth, toothed, or lobed edges, and all three types of leaf edges may be present in a single plant. The plants grow as creeping vines, climbing vines, shrubs, or, in the case of lacquer tree (T. vernicifluum) and poison sumac (T. vernix), as trees. While leaves of poison ivy and poison oaks usually have three leaflets, sometimes there are five or, occasionally, even seven leaflets. Leaves of poison sumac have 7–13 leaflets, and of Lacquer Tree, 7–19 leaflets.
It was published byPhilip Miller in 1754. The lectotype species isToxicodendron pubescensMill.[3][4] The genus is a member of theRhus complex, and has at various times been categorized as being either its own genus or a sub-genus ofRhus.[5] There is evidence which points to keepingToxicodendron as a separatemonophyletic genus, but researchers have stated that theToxicodendron andRhus groups are complex and require more study to be fully understood.[6]
The common names come from similar appearances to other species that are not closely related and to theallergic response to the urushiol. Poison oak is not anoak (Quercus, familyFagaceae), but this common name comes from the leaves' resemblance to white oak (Quercus alba) leaves, while poison ivy is not anivy (Hedera, familyAraliaceae), but has a superficially similar growth form. Technically, the plants do not contain apoison; they contain a potentallergen.
Toxicodendron delavayi(Franch.) F.A.Barkley – southwestern Sichuan and northwestern and central Yunnan in south-central China
Toxicodendron diversilobum(Torr. & A.Gray) Greene (synonymRhus diversiloba) –Western poison oak is found throughout much of western North America, ranging from thePacific coast into theSierra Nevada andCascademountain ranges between southern British Columbia and southward intoBaja California. It is extremely common in that region, where it is the predominant species of the genus. Indeed, it is California's most prevalent woody shrub.[7] Extremely variable, it grows as a dense shrub in open sunlight, or as a climbing vine in shaded areas. It propagates by creepingrhizomes or by seed.[8] The compound leaves are divided into three leaflets, 35–100 mm long, with scalloped, toothed, or lobed edges. The leaves may be red, yellow, green, or some combination of those colors, depending on various factors, such as the time of year.
Toxicodendron orientaleGreene (synonymsRhus orientale andR. ambigua) –Asian poison ivy is very similar to the American poison ivy, and replaces it throughout east Asia (so similar that some texts treat it as just a variety of the American species).
Toxicodendron pubescensMill. (synonymRhus toxicarium) – Atlantic poison oak grows mostly in sandy soils in eastern parts of the United States. Growing as a shrub, its leaves are in groups of three. Leaves are typically rounded or lobed and are densely haired. Although it is often confused with the more common poison ivy, even in the scientific literature,[9] Atlantic poison oak has small clumps of hair on the veins on the underside of the leaves, while poison ivy does not.
Toxicodendron radicans(L.) Kuntze (synonymRhus radicans) – Poison ivy is extremely common in some areas of North America. In the United States, it grows in all states east of the Rockies. It also grows in Central America. Appearing as a creeping vine, a climbing vine, or a shrub, it reproduces both by creeping rootstocks and by seeds. The appearance varies. Leaves, arranged in an alternate pattern, usually in groups of three, are from 20 to 50 mm long, pointed at the tip, and can be toothed, smooth, or lobed, but never serrated. Leaves may be shiny or dull, and the color varies with the season. Vines grow almost straight up rather than wrapping around their support and can grow to 8–10 m in height. In some cases, Poison ivy may entirely engulf the supporting structure, and vines may extend outward like limbs so that it appears to be a Poison ivy "tree".
Toxicodendron rydbergii(Small ex Rydb.) Greene (synonymRhus rydbergii) – Western poison ivy is found in northern parts of the eastern United States. It also exists in the western United States and Canada but is much less common than poison oak. It may grow as a vine or a shrub. It was once considered a subspecies of poison ivy. It does sometimes hybridize with the climbing species. Western poison ivy is found in much of western and central United States and Canada, although not on the West Coast. In the eastern United States, it is rarely found south of New England.
Toxicodendron striatum(Ruiz & Pav.) Kuntze (synonymRhus striata) –Manzanillo is a South American poisonous tree growing in thetropical rain forests on low elevation slopes. The name should not be confused with the unrelatedManchineel, a poisonous tree that is not a member of the Anacardiaceae.
Toxicodendron succedaneum(L.) Kuntze (synonymRhus succedanea) – Wax tree is native of Asia, although it has been planted elsewhere, most notably in Australia and New Zealand. It is a large shrub or tree, up to 8 m tall, somewhat similar to a sumac tree. Because of its beautiful autumn foliage, it has been planted outside of Asia as anornamental plant, often by gardeners who were apparently unaware of the dangers of allergic reactions. It is now officially classified as a noxious weed in Australia and New Zealand. The fatty-acid methyl ester of the kernel oil meets all of the majorbiodiesel requirements in the USA (ASTM D 6751-02, ASTM PS 121-99), Germany (DIN V 51606) and European Union (EN 14214).[10]
Toxicodendron sylvestre(Siebold & Zucc.) Kuntze (synonymRhus sylvestris) – native to China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.
Toxicodendron vernicifluum(Stokes) F.A.Barkley (synonymRhus verniciflua) – Lacquer tree orvarnish tree grows in Asia, especially China and Japan. Growing up to 20 m tall, its sap produces an extremely durablelacquer. The leaves have 7–19 leaflets (most often 11–13). The sap contains the allergenic oil, urushiol. Urushiol gets its name from this species which in Japanese is calledUrushi. Other names for this species include Japanese lacquer tree, Japanese Varnish Tree, and Japanese Sumac (Note: the term "varnish tree" is also occasionally applied to theCandlenut,Aleurites moluccana, a southeast Asian tree unrelated toToxicodendron).
Toxicodendron vernix(L.) Kuntze (synonymRhus vernix) –Poison sumac is a tall shrub or a small tree, from 2–7 m tall. It is found in swampy, open areas and reproduces by seeds. The leaves have between 7–13 untoothed leaflets, in afeather-compound arrangement.[11] In terms of its potential to causeurushiol-induced contact dermatitis, poison sumac is far more virulent than otherToxicodendron species, even more virulent than poison ivy and poison oak. According to some botanists,T. vernix is the mosttoxic plant species in the United States (Frankel, 1991).
Searsia parviflora(Roxb.) F.A.Barkley (asToxicodendron parviflorum(Roxb.) Kuntze) –Small-flowered poison sumac grows in the Himalayas betweenKumaun, India and Bhutan
All members of the genus produce the skin-irritating oilurushiol, which can cause a severeallergic reaction known as urushiol-induced contact dermatitis.[13]
In East Asia, in particular in Japan, traditionalcandle fuel was produced fromToxicodendron vernicifluum andToxicodendron succedaneum, among other sumac plants in the genusToxicodendron, rather than beeswax or animal fats. The sumac wax was a byproduct of traditionalJapanese lacquer manufacture. The conicalrousoku candles produced from sumac wax burn with smokeless flame and were favored in many respects over candles made fromlard orbeeswax during theTokugawa shogunate.Japan wax is not a truewax but a solid fat that contains 10-15%palmitin,stearin, andolein with about 1%japanic acid (1,21-heneicosanedioic acid). It is still used in many tropical and subtropical countries in the production of wax match sticks.[citation needed]
^Mohibbeazam, M; Waris, A; Nahar, N (2005). "Prospects and potential of fatty acid methyl esters of some non-traditional seed oils for use as biodiesel in India".Biomass and Bioenergy.29 (4):293–302.Bibcode:2005BmBe...29..293M.doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2005.05.001.
Frankel, Edward, Ph.D. 1991.Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison Sumac and Their Relatives; Pistachios, Mangoes and Cashews. The Boxwood Press. Pacific Grove, Calif.ISBN0-940168-18-9.
Mohibbeazam, M; Waris, A; Nahar, N (2005). "Prospects and potential of fatty acid methyl esters of some non-traditional seed oils for use as biodiesel in India".Biomass and Bioenergy.29 (4):293–302.Bibcode:2005BmBe...29..293M.doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2005.05.001.
