Smodingium argutum
Smodingium argutum, the African poison ivy or pain bush, is a southern African shrub or medium-sized tree in the Anacardiaceae, which has properties comparable to the American poison ivy, as its sap contains heptadecyl catechols that are toxic to the skin.
Species
Agony Bush
SPECIES
- KingdomPlantae
- PhylumTracheophyta
- ClassMagnoliopsida
- OrderSapindales
- FamilyAnacardiaceae
Native toCape Provinces, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal
Observations23
via GBIF · Kew POWO
Wikidata facts
- Image
- Smodingium argutum, loof, a, Pretoria NBT.jpg
Sources (1)
via Wikidata · CC0
Article
3 sectionsContents
- Description
- Range
- References
Smodingium argutum, the African poison ivy or pain bush, is a southern African shrub or medium-sized tree in the Anacardiaceae, which has properties comparable to the American poison ivy, as its sap contains heptadecyl catechols that are toxic to the skin.
An immuno-chemical reaction is suspected as in other toxic anacardiaceous species. It is monotypic in the genus Smodingium, and was discovered in Pondoland by J. F. Drège during an 1832 expedition with the zoologist Andrew Smith.