Poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix or Rhus vernix) is a woody shrub or small tree growing to 9 m (30 ft) tall. All parts of the plant contain a resin called urushiol that causes skin and mucous membrane irritation to humans. When burned, inhalation of the smoke may cause the rash to appear on the lining of the lungs, causing extreme pain and possibly fatal respiratory difficulty.
Read more about Poison Sumac: Description, Distribution, Toxicity
Famous quotes containing the word poison:
“The vulgarest tool that Tyranny could want,
With just enough of talent, and no more,
To lengthen fetters by another fixed,
And offer poison long already mixed.”
—George Gordon Noel Byron (1788–1824)
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