poison sumac
Definition
- Noun:
- A plant species: A smooth shrub native to swamps in eastern North America, characterized by compound (pinnate) leaves, greenish flowers, and greenish-white berries. It produces an oil called urushiol that causes a severe allergic skin reaction upon contact.
- A skin condition: The painful, itchy rash (allergic contact dermatitis) resulting from touching the poison sumac plant.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Plant):
- While hiking in the wetland, we carefully avoided the patch of poison sumac.
- Identifying poison sumac is important for safety in wooded areas.
- Noun (Rash):
- He developed a severe case of poison sumac after clearing brush.
- The itching from the poison sumac was intense.
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in medical or botanical contexts to specify the cause of an allergic reaction. It is frequently contrasted with its harmless relatives, such as staghorn sumac.
- The botanist explained the key differences between edible sumac and toxic poison sumac.
Variants and Related Words
- Poison ivy (n): A different plant () that also contains urushiol and causes a similar rash.
- Poison oak (n): Either of two shrubs ( or ) that also contain urushiol.
- Urushiol (n): The oily organic allergen found in plants like poison sumac, poison ivy, and poison oak that causes the allergic reaction.
- Toxicodendron vernix (n): The scientific (Latin) name for the poison sumac plant.
Synonyms
- For the plant: Toxicodendron vernix (scientific name).
- For the rash: Allergic contact dermatitis, urushiol-induced dermatitis, Rhus dermatitis (a broader medical term for rash from plants in the genus).
Related Phrases
- To come into contact with poison sumac: The act of touching the plant.
- If you come into contact with poison sumac, wash the area immediately with soap and water.
- Poison sumac rash: A common phrase specifying the skin condition.
- She applied calamine lotion to soothe her poison sumac rash.
Related Idioms
- (As) irritating as poison sumac: Used figuratively to describe something or someone that is extremely annoying or causes persistent trouble. (This is an illustrative construction based on the plant's properties, not a standard idiom).
- His constant complaints were as irritating as poison sumac.
Noun
-
smooth American swamp shrub with pinnate leaves and greenish flowers followed by greenish white berries; yields an irritating oil
-
dermatitis resulting from contact with a poison sumac plant
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