Genus
Toxicodendron (Poison ivies and oaks)
Toxicodendron diversilobum. Photo: (c) alexachapman, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Toxicodendron is a genus of flowering plants in the sumac family, Anacardiaceae. It contains woody trees, shrubs and vines, including poison ivy, poison oak, and the lacquer tree. All members of the genus produce the skin-irritating oil urushiol, which can cause a severe allergic reaction. The generic name is derived from the Greek words τοξικός (toxikos), meaning “poison,” and δένδρον (dendron), meaning “tree”. The best known members of the genus in North America are poison ivy…
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