Flora
of East-Central Indiana
| Poison Ivy |
| Scientific Name | Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze |
| Family Name | Anacardiaceae (Sumac/Cashew Family) |
| Habitat: | open woods, disturbed areas, fence rows, nearly anywhere |
| Plant Height: |
woody,
climbing, straggling vine |
| Flower Color: |
yellow to green |
| Flower: |
complete; imperfect; 5 green sepals with yellow margins; staminate flowers with 5 stamens that alternate with 5 petals; pistillate flowers with superior ovary, style 3-lobed, occasionally with staminal vestiges |
| Inflorescence: |
axillary clusters; plants dioecious |
| Fruit: |
gray or whitish |
| Leaves: |
compound; alternate; three leaflets, terminal leaflet typically with long petiole; entire or slightly toothed; elliptical to oblong |
| Bloom Time: |
May-July |
| Origins: |
native |
| Other: |
synonym Rhus radicans L.; Toxicodendron means "poison tree"; while not a wildflower, recognition of this species is important since many people are allergic to the oil (urushiol) present in all parts of the plant year round; Gleason and Cronquist, 1991, recognize 2 variations, var. radicans puberulent which has scabrous or papillose fruits, var. negundo (Greene) Reveal has glabrous fruits or with a few scattered hairs, leaves generally toothed |
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Characteristics |
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| flower spurs | leaves | closer of flower spurs | vine |
Native Wildflowers ● Trees, Shrubs&Vines ● Ferns ● Grasses&Allies ● Non-Native Species ● ECI Flora Home
information
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comments to: hbrown@bsu.edu |
