poison sumac (redirected from Toxicodendron vernix)

poison sumac: see poison ivy.

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poison sumac

 also called poison elder

Attractive, narrow shrub or small tree (Rhus vernix or Toxicodendron vernix) of the sumac, or cashew, family. It is native to swampy acidic soils of eastern North America. Unlike the upright reddish, fuzzy fruit clusters of other sumacs, whitish waxy berries droop loosely from its stalks. The clear sap, which blackens on exposure to air, is extremely irritating to the skin for many people.

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poison sumac [′pȯiz·ən ′sü‚mak]

(botany)

Rhus vernix.A tall bush of the sumac family (Anacardiaceae) bearing pinnately compound leaves with 7-13 entire leaflets, and drooping, axillary clusters of white fruits that produce an irritating oil.