Oak-leaved poison sumac
| Oak-leaved poison sumac | ||||||||||||
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Toxicodendron pubescens |
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| Rhus toxicodendron | ||||||||||||
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The oak-leaved poison sumac ( Rhus toxicodendron L. , Syn .: Toxicodendron pubescens Mill. ), Also called poison ivy, is a species of plant from the genus Rhus in the sumac family (Anacardiaceae). She comes from North America .
One of the plant ingredients is urushiol , which in most cases causes an itchy rash when the plant is touched.
description
This variable species grows either as a shrub up to a height of about 1 meter or as a climbing plant with aerial roots. The climbing form can be considered botanically as a variety Toxicodendron pubescens var. Radicans or sometimes as a separate species Toxicodendron radicans . This is also known under the North American trivial name Poison Ivy (directly translated "poison ivy"). The term "ivy" is misleading, as poison sumac is not related to the common ivy ( Hedera helix ) despite its outward similarity but completely different leaves .
The oak-leaved poison sumac grows as a deciduous subshrub . The large branches are relatively thin and flexible. All parts of the plant have a yellowish white milky sap that quickly turns black when exposed to the air, with a penetrating, nauseating odor. This black coloring offers a possibility to identify this plant species.
The alternate leaves are arranged in a petiole and a leaf blade. The petiole is 8 to 14 inches long. The three-part pinnate leaf blade is downy hairy with a serrated edge. The leaves can be purple in spring, shiny green in summer and bright red in autumn.
The flowering period extends from May to July. The loose, paniculate inflorescence is lateral. The unisexual flowers are white to green with a red center. The pea-sized, spherical, yellowish stone fruit is 4 to 8 millimeters in size.
The number of chromosomes is 2n = 30.
Occurrence
The range of the oak-leaved poison oak stretches in Canada from Nova Scotia to British Columbia , over the eastern USA to Arizona and Florida . It occurs partially in Mexico , the Bahamas and Northeast Asia . The oak-leaved poison sumac is also a neophyte in bush forests and humid areas in central France and some other parts of Europe , where it has partially acclimatized . In Germany , the oak-leaved poison sumac can be seen in botanical gardens, rarely in home gardens.
The oak-leaved poison sumac often grows as undergrowth in thickets, but also in stony places, as well as in dry, wooded areas, especially along the edges and on sandy dunes . It tolerates acidic soils with pH values from 6.0 to moderately alkaline with pH values up to 7.9.
Taxonomy
The first publication of Rhus toxicodendron was by Carl von Linné . This kinship group is controversial. Some authors call this species Toxicodendron pubescens Mill .; this name was published by Philip Miller . Further synonyms for Rhus toxicodendron L. are: Rhus toxicodendron var. Quercifolium Michx. , Toxicodendron quercifolium (Michx.) Greene , Toxicodendron toxicarium (Salisb.) Gillis .
Important ingredients and effects
All parts of the plant are poisonous, but not the honey obtained . The medicinal drug is obtained from the leaves ( Folia toxicodendri ). Important ingredients are urushiol , fisetin , gallic acid , rhus tannic acid and the glycoside Toxicodendrol . The oily substance urushiol is one of the strongest naturally occurring contact allergens . The unripe fruits contain about 3.6%, the leaves about 3.3% and the branches about 1.6% of the oily allergenic substance. Even very small amounts in the microgram range are sufficient for the strong irritative effects. Orally ingested parts of the plant lead to symptoms such as vomiting , inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract , colic , blood urine and severe neurological symptoms reminiscent of atropine poisoning . The poison can not only be felt when touched and ingested, the plant can also harm people through volatile substances. When staying next to the plant for a long time, cases of severe inflammation of the mucous membranes, rise in body temperature and vomiting have been reported. Allergy sufferers who stay near the plant can suffer from skin damage.
use
According to Madaus , the evaporation of the white milk juice, which turns black in the air, affects the skin vessels. A group of soldiers who camped around a fire from the branches is said to have had skin problems. Houses where the shrub grew were considered bewitched because the residents developed rheumatism. J. White described in detail the degree of skin irritation in the New York medical journal 1873, from erythema with somewhat papulovesikular eczema to hot and red swollen erysipelas with oozing, crusty vesicles that itch and burn violently, as well as fever and prostration. Others described some similar symptoms after ingestion. However, not all people are sensitive. Hares that gnawed at the bush in severe winters die immediately, but horses and cattle do not, and it is harmless to the skin of cold-blooded animals. The plant was introduced into medicine in 1788 by Dufresnoy as a remedy for lichen. Alderson, Horsfield, et al. a. They praised them in paralysis, especially rheumatic in nature, which many authors have confirmed. In addition, it was used for eye disorders, especially if these were associated with “scrofulous-herpetic” facial rashes. Today, oak-leaved poison oak is no longer used in evidence-based medicine . Homeopaths use Rhus tox for joint, back, head and neck pain that force constant restlessness, as well as for colds and skin diseases such as eczema or herpes simplex infections. It is obtained from fresh, leafy, young shoots.
useful information
A similar looking species, also called Poison Oak in English-speaking countries , is Toxicodendron diversilobum . The oak-leaved poison sumac is often referred to only as poison sumac in Germany. This name is used for Toxicodendron vernix (Poison Sumac), which has little resemblance to the plant species discussed here.
In addition to its effects on humans, the oak-leaved poison sumac is also toxic to horses and often fatally toxic to small animals such as rabbits.
A motto for recognizing and avoiding the poison ivy is: "Leaves three, pass it."
swell
Most of the information in this article comes from the individual references and the sources given under literature:
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Toxicodendron pubescens in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
- ↑ a b c d e f Carlo Odermatt, Sven Hartmann, Beat Ernst: Homeopathy drug pictures. K2-Verlag, 2004, ISBN 3-03722-950-0 , p. 129.
- ↑ a b c d gifte.de - Rhus toxicodendron (last accessed on January 18, 2010)
- ↑ a b c d e Joseph-Amedee Lathoud: Materia Medica , Barthel & Barthel, 1996, ISBN 3-88950-017-X .
- ^ Erich Oberdorfer : Plant-sociological excursion flora for Germany and neighboring areas . 8th edition. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-8001-3131-5 . Page 645.
- ↑ Christian Rätsch: Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants . 8th edition. AT Verlag, 2007, ISBN 978-3-03800-352-6 .
- ↑ Elisabeth Mandl: Medicinal plants in homeopathy , Maudrich, 1997, ISBN 3-85175-687-8 .
- ^ A b Willibald Pschyrembel: Pschyrembel naturopathy and alternative healing methods . 3. Edition. de Gruyter, Berlin, New York: 2006, ISBN 3-11-018524-5 .
- ↑ a b Frans Vermeulen: Prism - Similarities and parallels between substance and drug. Emryss, 2006, ISBN 90-76189-17-X .
- ↑ Dr. Wesselin Denkow: Poisons of nature ; Ennsthaler Verlag, Seyr, 2004; ISBN 3-8289-1617-1 ; P. 111.
- ^ Gerhard Madaus: Textbook of biological remedies. Volume III. Olms, Hildesheim / New York 1979, ISBN 3-487-05891-X , pp. 2316–2323 (reprint of the Leipzig 1938 edition).
- ↑ Eisele et al .: Homeopathy for the Kitteltasche , Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-7692-2842-1 , p. 245.
- ↑ SR Phatak: Homeopathic Medicines Teaching , Elsevier, 2005, ISBN 3-437-56860-4 .
literature
- Karl Hiller, Matthias F. Melzig: Lexicon of Medicinal Plants and Drugs , 2 volumes, approved special edition for area verlag, 2006, ISBN 3-89996-682-1 .
- L. Roth, M. Daunderer, K. Kormann: Poison plants - plant poisons. Nikol Verlagsgesellschaft, 1994, ISBN 3-933203-31-7 .
- Gerhard Madaus: textbook of biological remedies. Volume III. Olms, Hildesheim / New York 1979, ISBN 3-487-05891-X , pp. 2316–2323 (reprint of the Leipzig 1938 edition).
