M Rohde - Contact-Poisonous Plants of the World

Effects:Chemically skin-irritating and allergizing. The plant's sap from bark, leaves and particularly the nutshell can within one day cause painful skin alterations which resemble second-degree burns. This sap is brown and oily and becomes black when exposed to the air. The fumes which emerge from roasting the nuts are skin-irritating and can even lead to blindness.

Measures:Take extreme caution when harvesting nuts or fruits and also when roasting the nuts. Corticosteroid ointment, medical attention, Tetanus prophylaxis.

Reference:Benezra; Behl; Roth; Dahlgren

Gluta renghas L.

Anacardiaceae family (Sumac family)

Occurrence:South-East Asia and India.

Description:Tree.

Effects:Allergizing and chemically skin-irritating. The smoke of the burning wood can also be dangerous.

Measures:Corticosteroid ointment, medical attention, Tetanus prophylaxis.

Holigarna arnottiana Hook.f.

Anacardiaceae family (Sumac family)

Occurrence:Western India in evergreen forests.

Description:Tall tree, the treetop being closely covered with leaves. Leaves are large and hairless. Fleshy, oval stone fruits (drupes) in clusters. Small blossoms.

Effects:Allergizing and chemically skin-irritating. The smoke of the burning wood can also be dangerous.

Measures:Corticosteroid ointment, medical attention, Tetanus prophylaxis.

Reference:Behl

Similar plants:Melanochyla und Campnosperma act similar; they are found in the Indo-Malaysian area.

Melanorrhoea usitata Wall.

Anacardiaceae family (Sumac family)

Synonyms: Burmese Lacquer Tree (en), Rengas (id)

Occurrence:Manipur (East India), Burma, Thailand.

Description:Tall deciduous tree, twigs and leaves hairy, blossoms white, flowering from January to March. Stone fruit (drupe) reddish and fleshy, approx. 1 cm in diameter. The tree is sometimes cultivated for the black Burma Lacquer which is gathered from the bark.

Effects:Allergizing and chemically skin-irritating. The smoke of the burning wood can also be dangerous.

Measures:Corticosteroid ointment, medical attention, Tetanus prophylaxis.

Metopium toxiferum Krug.

Anacardiaceae family (Sumac family)

Synonyms:Poison Bark (en), Doctor's Gum (en)

Occurrence:West-Indies, Bahamas, Southern Florida, Yucatan, Belize, Cuba, Jamaica. Frequently found in open areas.

Description:Shrub or small tree up to 12 m tall, bark yellowish-brown, wide open branches. The 3- to 7-fold leaves are light green and up to 30 cm long, shiny on top and dull underneath. Blossoms white, berries yellow to orange. The latex sometimes emerges by itself from bark and leaves and becomes black when exposed to air.

Effects:Chemically skin-irritating and allergizing. After contact with the latex 70% of the Europeans develop itching papules a few days later which develop into blisters and remain for several weeks. The smoke of the burning wood is also skin-irritating.

Measures:Corticosteroid ointment, medical attention, Tetanus prophylaxis.

Reference:Jackson; Dahlgren

Semecarpus anacardium L.

Anacardiaceae family (Sumac family)

Synonyms:Bhilawa Tree (en), Kidney Bean of Malacca (en), Ostindischer Tintenbaum (de), Markfruchtbaum (de)

Other scientific names: Anacardium orientale Steud.

Occurrence:Resident in tropical India but also occasionally cultivated in other tropical countries. Growing wild in secondary forests and thickets.

Description:Deciduous tree up to 13 m tall with leathery, 20 to 60 cm long leaves. Blossoms yellowish-green, fruits black, 25 mm long. The fruit shell contains a black sap (ink), the pulp is orange, sweetish and reported to be edible.

Effects:The black sap of the fruit shell can cause itching a half day after contact and rashes and blistering within 24 hours. In Indian laundries the ink is sometimes used to mark clothes. In sensitive people these marks can also cause skin rashes after wearing the clothes, even after repeated laundering.

Measures:Cover blisters sterilely, apply corticosteroid ointment. Remove ink marks from clothes.

Reference:Roth; Behl; Benezra; Goldsmith

Semecarpus cuneiformis Blanco.

Anacardiaceae family (Sumac family)

Occurrence: In the Philippines and on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Widespread in thickets at low altitudes.

Description:Shrub or small tree, 3 to 8 m high. Leaves 10 to 25 cm long. Blossoms whitish, 2 to 2.5 mm long, flowering in the Philippines from January to March. Stone fruit (drupe) 1 cm long, the upper part of the fruit is reddish, fleshy, and edible.

Effects:Very allergizing and skin-irritating. Dropping rain can cause skin rashes.

Measures:Cover blisters sterilely. Corticosteroid ointment, medical attention, Tetanus prophylaxis.

Reference:Hanewald

Similar plants:Semecarpus forstenii and S. heterophylla on Sumatra and Java, named Rengas there, act similarly strong.