Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Poison Ivy
Order: Sapindales
Family: Anacardiaceae
Genus: Toxicodendron
Species: T. radicans
Identifying Characteristics:
- Poison ivy are trifoliate with three almond-shaped leaflets
- Leaf color ranges from light green to dark green
- The leaflets of mature leaves are somewhat shiny
- The leaflets are 3 to 12 cm long, rarely up to 30 cm.
- Each leaflet has a few or no teeth along its edge, and the leaf surface is smooth.
- Vines growing on the trunk of a tree become firmly attached through numerous aerial rootlets
-Poison ivy is dioecious; flowering occurs from May to July. The yellowish- or greenish-white flowers are typically inconspicuous and are located in clusters up to 8 cm above the leaves.
- the fruit is gray to whitish
- no thorns
Special Characteristics:
- Has the ability to produce urushiol, a skin irritant that causes an itching rash for most people
- Poison ivy grows throughout much of North America
- is normally found in wooded areas, especially along edge areas. It also grows in exposed rocky areas and in open fields and disturbed areas
- somewhat shade tolerant
- Poison ivy rarely grows at altitudes above 1,500 m (4,900 ft), although the altitude limit varies in different locations
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