Index of Species Information
SPECIES: Toxicodendron pubescens
Introductory
SPECIES: Toxicodendron pubescens
AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION :
Sullivan, Janet. 1994. Toxicodendron pubescens. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online].
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station,
Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/shrub/toxpub/all.html [].
ABBREVIATION :
TOXPUB
SYNONYMS :
Rhus toxicodendron L. [5]
Rhus toxicarium Salisb. [8]
Toxicodendron toxicodendron (L.) Britt. [5]
Toxicodendron toxicarium (Salisb.) Gillis [8,9]
Toxicodendron quercifolium (Michx.) Greene [8,20]
NRCS PLANT CODE :
TOPU2
COMMON NAMES :
Atlantic poison-oak
Atlantic poison oak
TAXONOMY :
The currently accepted scientific name for Atlantic poison-oak is
Toxicodendron pubescens Miller (Anacardiaceae) [21,24,25]. This
taxon is often confused in the literature with eastern poison-ivy (T.
radicans), with which it has shared the synonym Rhus toxicodendron.
The possibility of hybridization between Atlantic poison-oak and other
Toxicodendron species is limited due to differences in habitat. Atlantic
poison-oak forms occasional hybrids with eastern poison-ivy where their
ranges overlap [8].
LIFE FORM :
Shrub
FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS :
No special status
OTHER STATUS :
NO-ENTRY
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Toxicodendron pubescens
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION :
Atlantic poison-oak occurs from New Jersey to Florida, west to eastern
Texas, and north to southeastern Kansas [8].
ECOSYSTEMS :
FRES12 Longleaf - slash pine
FRES13 Loblolly - shortleaf pine
FRES14 Oak - pine
STATES :
AL AR DE FL GA KS LA MD MS MO
NJ NC OK SC TN TX VA WV
BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS :
14 Great Plains
KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS :
K076 Blackland prairie
K081 Oak savanna
K082 Mosaic of K074 and K100
K084 Cross Timbers
K086 Juniper - oak savanna
K088 Fayette prairie
K100 Oak - hickory forest
K111 Oak - hickory - pine forest
K112 Southern mixed forest
K115 Sand pine scrub
SAF COVER TYPES :
40 Post oak - blackjack oak
43 Bear oak
45 Pitch pine
46 Eastern redcedar
70 Longleaf pine
71 Longleaf pine - scrub oak
72 Southern scrub oak
76 Shortleaf pine - oak
80 Loblolly pine - shortleaf pine
81 Loblolly pine
82 Loblolly pine - hardwood
83 Longleaf pine - slash pine
84 Slash pine
SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES :
NO-ENTRY
HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES :
Atlantic poison-oak is seldom abundant [8]. It occurs in open woodlands
of various mixtures: longleaf pine (Pinus palustris)-scrub oak (Quercus
spp.), pine (Pinus spp.)-hardwood, and second-growth hardwood [9]. It
is found most often in scrub oak and pine woodland savannas with an
understory of ericaceous shrubs and bunchgrasses including threeawn
(Aristida spp.), needlegrass (Stipa spp.), and bluestem (Andropogon
spp.) [8]. Atlantic poison-oak occurs under loblolly pine (P. taeda)
plantations in Louisiana [2]. It is listed as an associated species in
a big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)-kochia (Kochia scoparia)-common
sunflower (Helianthus annuus) community that occurs in Kansas. Other
associates in that community include western ragweed (Ambrosia
psilostachya), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), lambsquarters
(Chenopodium album), and sedge (Carex spp.) [6]. In Alabama, eastern
poison-oak is reported from a community in the Bee Branch Gorge Research
Natural Area which represents the southernmost limit of eastern hemlock
(Tsuga canadensis). Tree associates of Atlantic poison-oak in this
community include eastern hemlock and American beech (Fagus
grandifolia). Understory associates include muscadine grape (Vitis
rotundifolia) and cane (Arundinaria gigantea) [22].
Atlantic poison-oak is seldom associated with other members of its genus
because of differences in soil requirements [8].
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
SPECIES: Toxicodendron pubescens
IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE :
Specific instances of wildlife use of Atlantic poison-oak have not been
reported in the literature, although Blair [2] listed it as palatable
browse for white-tailed deer. Eastern poison-ivy, a closely related
species, is browsed by white-tailed deer, and its fruits are consumed by
61 species of wildlife [15].
PALATABILITY :
NO-ENTRY
NUTRITIONAL VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
COVER VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES :
Rhus toxicodendron occurred with 1 percent frequency on 10-year-old,
unreclaimed lignite mine sites. It occurred at 15 percent frequency on
30-year-old sites, and 67 percent on 60-year-old sites. It was not
found on sites less than 10 years old, but did occur on undisturbed
adjacent sites at 3 percent frequency. It is not clear from this
article whether the reference is to eastern poison-ivy or to eastern
poison-oak [23].
OTHER USES AND VALUES :
Eastern poison-ivy was used as a stimulant and a narcotic. Its juice was
used to make indelible ink [19]. It is likely that Atlantic poison-oak
has been used for the same purposes.
OTHER MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
Atlantic poison-oak produces uroshiol, an allergenic oil that causes
dermatitis in susceptible individuals [11]. A skin test has been
developed to determine individual sensitivity to uroshiol. Other work
is in progress to develop preventative treatments for sensitive
individuals [18].
Atlantic poison-oak can be controlled by a number of herbicides [10,11].
BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Toxicodendron pubescens
GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS :
Atlantic poison-oak is a native, rhizomatous, deciduous shrub [5]. It
has slender, erect stems that are woody for 20 to 24 inches (50-60 cm)
[5], and are not over 3 feet (1 m) tall. The trifoliate leaves are
oak-like in appearance with three to seven lobes [20]. Many authors
report that the leaves are more leathery than those of eastern
poison-ivy; however, Gillis [8] stated that this is a variable
character. The flowers are produced in dense panicles 1 to 3 inches
(2.5-7.6 cm) long. The fruit is a hard, reniform-globose or
depressed-globose drupe [8,20]. Unlike its congener eastern poison-ivy,
it is not a climber, nor does it produce aerial roots [8].
RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM :
Phanerophyte
REGENERATION PROCESSES :
Atlantic poison-oak reproduces both vegetatively and by seed [8,11].
Vegetative reproduction in Atlantic poison-oak is accomplished by the
formation of clones via rhizomes [20]. The intervals at which aerial
stems are produced from rhizomes are greater than the intervals observed
for eastern poison-ivy [8].
SITE CHARACTERISTICS :
Atlantic poison-oak occurs on dry barrens, pinelands [5], and oak woods
[8]. It is largely confined to sandy soils of low fertility on the
Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains. Soils are most often coarse sands that
are low in calcium, magnesium, and potassium [8].
SUCCESSIONAL STATUS :
Facultative Seral Species
Atlantic poison-oak is probably not tolerant of heavy shade [19]. In
Louisiana, Atlantic poison-oak production was highest under loblolly pine
plantations that had been lightly thinned, and lowest under similar
plantations that had been heavily thinned [2].
SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT :
Atlantic poison-oak is in flower from May to June, and ripened fruits are
available from August through November [5].
FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Toxicodendron pubescens
FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS :
Atlantic poison-oak occurs in the understory of open woods, particularly
in the longleaf pine, loblolly pine, and scrub oak types [8,9]. The
open condition of these communities is maintained by fire.
Historically, fires in these communities occurred frequently (intervals
from 3 to 20 years) and were usually low-intensity surface fires. It is
likely that Atlantic poison-oak is able to survive low-intensity surface
fires by sprouting from rhizomes if top-killed. In Texas, eastern
poison-oak is a common understory plant in a dry, upland longleaf pine
savanna which has been maintained by periodic prescribed fire (burned at
3- to 5-year intervals) [13].
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY :
Rhizomatous shrub, rhizome in soil
FIRE REGIMES : Find fire regime information for the plant communities in
which this species may occur by entering the species name in the
FEIS home page under "Find Fire Regimes".
FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Toxicodendron pubescens
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT :
No specific information on Atlantic poison-oak mortality or top-kill due
to fire was available in the literature. It is likely that, given its
small stature, Atlantic poison-oak is easily top-killed by even
low-intensity surface fires. It is likely to survive such fires and
sprout from rhizomes.
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT :
NO-ENTRY
PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE :
In Tennessee, Atlantic poison-oak occurred on plots that were prescribed
burned annually between 1963 and 1988. Years and duration of its
occurrence were not reported; the authors stated only that it "occurred
widely across the years". Atlantic poison-oak was also present on plots
that were burned periodically (1964 and 1969) but disappeared from these
plots after 1972 [3].
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE :
NO-ENTRY
FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
The allergenic oil (uroshiol) from Atlantic poison-oak can be carried on
soot particles when the plant is burned and causes dermatitis on persons
working in areas where Atlantic poison-oak is burned [11]. The smoke can
injure lungs. Reports of ill effects from exposure to the smoke of
burning eastern poison-ivy or poison-oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum)
include head-to-toe dermatitis, fever, lung infections, and even death
caused by the throat swelling up [18]. It is likely that under similar
burning conditions and plant densities, smoke from Atlantic poison-oak
could cause the same problems. Atlantic poison-oak, however, has not
been reported at anywhere near the same densities encountered for either
eastern poison-ivy or poison-oak.
REFERENCES
SPECIES: Toxicodendron pubescens
REFERENCES :
1. Bernard, Stephen R.; Brown, Kenneth F. 1977. Distribution of mammals,
reptiles, and amphibians by BLM physiographic regions and A.W. Kuchler's
associations for the eleven western states. Tech. Note 301. Denver, CO:
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 169 p.
[434]
2. Blair, Robert M. 1960. Deer forage increased by thinnings in a Louisiana
loblolly pine plantation. Journal of Wildlife Management. 24(4):
401-405. [16891]
3. DeSelm, H. R.; Clebsch, E. E. C. 1991. Response types to prescribed fire
in oak forest understory. In: Nodvin, Stephen C.; Waldrop, Thomas A.,
eds. Fire and the environment: ecological and cultural perspectives:
Proceedings of an international symposium; 1990 March 20-24; Knoxville,
TN. Gen. Tech. Rep. SE-69. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station:
22-33. [16630]
4. Eyre, F. H., ed. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and
Canada. Washington, DC: Society of American Foresters. 148 p. [905]
5. Fernald, Merritt Lyndon. 1950. Gray's manual of botany. [Corrections
supplied by R. C. Rollins]. Portland, OR: Dioscorides Press. 1632 p.
(Dudley, Theodore R., gen. ed.; Biosystematics, Floristic & Phylogeny
Series; vol. 2). [14935]
6. Fleharty, Eugene D. 1972. Some aspects of small mammal ecology in a
Kansas remnant prairie. In: Zimmerman, James H., ed. Proceedings, 2nd
Midwest prairie conference; 1970 September 18-20; Madison, WI. Madison,
WI: University of Wisconsin Arboretum: 97-103. [2802]
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1977. Vegetation and environmental features of forest and range
ecosystems. Agric. Handb. 475. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service. 68 p. [998]
8. Gillis, William T. 1971. The systematics and ecology of poison-ivy and
the poison-oaks (Toxicodendron, Anacardiaceae). Rhodora. 73: 370-443.
[8104]
9. Godfrey, Robert K. 1988. Trees, shrubs, and woody vines of northern
Florida and adjacent Georgia and Alabama. Athens, GA: The University of
Georgia Press. 734 p. [10239]
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considering pesticides for forest management. Agric. Handb. 585.
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 512 p.
[7847]
11. Hardin, James W. 1980. Things you should know about poison ivy--poison
oak--poison sumac. AG-31. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State University,
Agricultural Extension Service. 20 p. [22421]
12. Kuchler, A. W. 1964. Manual to accompany the map of potential vegetation
of the conterminous United States. Special Publication No. 36. New York:
American Geographical Society. 77 p. [1384]
13. Mohlenbrock, Robert H. 1992. Boykin Springs Longleaf, Texas. Natural
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geography. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 632 p. [2843]
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Cyrus M.; Blaisdell, James P.; Goodin, Joe R., tech. eds. Wildland
shrubs--their biology and utilization: An international symposium:
Proceedings; 1971 July; Logan, UT. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-1. Ogden, UT:
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and
Range Experiment Station: 69-76. [9713]
16. Stickney, Peter F. 1989. Seral origin of species originating in northern
Rocky Mountain forests. Unpublished draft on file at: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, Fire
Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, MT; RWU 4403 files. 7 p. [20090]
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National list of scientific plant names. Vol. 1. List of plant names.
SCS-TP-159. Washington, DC. 416 p. [11573]
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poison-oak, and poison-sumac. Fire Management Notes. 47(1): 23-28.
[22422]
19. Walker, Laurence C. 1991. The southern forest: A chronicle. Austin, TX:
University of Texas Press. 322 p. [17597]
20. Vines, Robert A. 1960. Trees, shrubs, and woody vines of the Southwest.
Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. 1104 p. [7707]
21. Gleason, Henry A.; Cronquist, Arthur. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of
northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. 2nd ed. New York: New
York Botanical Garden. 910 p. [20329]
22. Gunasekaran, M.; Weber, D. J.; Sanderson, S.; Devall, Margaret M. 1992.
Reanalysis of the vegetation of Bee Branch Gorge Research Natural Area,
a hemlock-beech community on the Warrior River Basin of Alabama.
Castanea. 57(1): 34-45. [20436]
23. Skousen, J. G.; Call, C. A.; Knight, R. W. 1990. Natural revegetation of
an unreclaimed lignite surface mine in east-central Texas. Southwestern
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northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. 2nd ed. New York: New York
Botanical Garden. 910 p. [20329]
25. Wunderlin, Richard P.; Hansen, Bruce F. 2003. Guide to the vascular plants
of Florida. 2nd ed. Gainesville, FL: The University of Florida Press. 787 p.
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FEIS Home Page
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