''Toxicodendron succedaneum'', the wax tree, Japanese Hazenoki tree (Sumac or wax tree), sơn in Vietnam or charão in Portuguese, is a flowering plant species in the genus ''
Toxicodendron'' found in Asia, although it has been planted elsewhere, most notably Australia and New Zealand. It is a large shrub or tree, up to 8 m tall, somewhat similar to a sumac tree. Because of its beautiful autumn foliage, it has been planted outside Asia as an
ornamental plant, often by gardeners who were apparently unaware of the dangers of allergic reactions. It is now officially classified as a noxious weed in Australia and New Zealand. It is one of the city tree symbols of
Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan.
The larvae of the moths ''
Eteoryctis deversa
''Eteoryctis deversa'' is a moth of the family Gracillariidae and genus '' Eteoryctis''. It is known to live in India (Meghalaya, Assam), Japan ( Kyūshū, Shikoku, Hokkaidō, Honshū), Korea, the Russian Far East, and Taiwan.
Their wingspan ...
'', ''
Caloptilia aurifasciata
''Caloptilia aurifasciata'' is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from China (Hainan, Guanxi, Fujian, Zhejiang), Hong Kong, Japan (Honshū, Kyūshū, Shikoku), Malaysia (West Malaysia) and Thailand.
The wingspan is 9.8–11 mm. ...
'', ''
Caloptilia protiella
''Caloptilia protiella'' is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from China (Hong Kong, Guangdong, Jiangxi and Hainan), India, Java, Japan (Kyūshū and the Ryukyu Islands), Malaysia and Thailand.
The wingspan is 10.5-12.5 mm. ...
'', ''
Caloptilia rhois
''Caloptilia rhois'' is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from China (Zhejiang, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Shannxi, Sichuan, Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guizhou, Henan), Hong Kong, Japan (Honshū, Kyūshū, Hokkaidō) and Korea.
The wings ...
'' and ''
Callidrepana patrana
''Callidrepana patrana'' is a moth in the family Drepanidae. It was described by Frederic Moore in 1866. It is found in Nepal, India, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, mainland China, Japan and Taiwan.
Description
The wingspan
The wingspan ...
'' feed on ''T. succedaneum''.
Chemistry
The plant produces
hinokiflavone, a
cytotoxic
Cytotoxicity is the quality of being toxic to cells. Examples of toxic agents are an immune cell or some types of venom, e.g. from the puff adder (''Bitis arietans'') or brown recluse spider (''Loxosceles reclusa'').
Cell physiology
Treating cells ...
biflavonoid. Its stems are also a commercial source of
fisetin, extracted in China.
Uses
It is used to produce
lacquer
Lacquer is a type of hard and usually shiny coating or finish applied to materials such as wood or metal. It is most often made from resin extracted from trees and waxes and has been in use since antiquity.
Asian lacquerware, which may be ca ...
. In Vietnam, the lacquer is used to produce
lacquer paintings, known as sơn mài, from resin of the tree.
In East Asia, in particular in Japan, traditional candle fuel (also called
Japan wax) was produced, among other sumac plants, from ''Toxicodendron succedaneum'' crushed fruits rather than beeswax or animal fats. Japan wax is a byproduct of
lacquer
Lacquer is a type of hard and usually shiny coating or finish applied to materials such as wood or metal. It is most often made from resin extracted from trees and waxes and has been in use since antiquity.
Asian lacquerware, which may be ca ...
manufacture. It is not a true
wax but a fat that contains 10–15%
palmitin,
stearin
Stearin , or tristearin, or glyceryl tristearate is an odourless, white powder. It is a triglyceride derived from three units of stearic acid. Most triglycerides are derived from at least two and more commonly three different fatty acids. Like o ...
, and
olein with about 1%
japanic acid (1,21-heneicosanedioic acid). Japan wax is sold in flat squares or disks and has a rancid odor. It is extracted by expression and heat, or by the action of
solvents. The fatty-acid methyl ester of the kernel oil meets all of the major
biodiesel requirements in the USA (ASTM D 6751-02, ASTM PS 121-99), Germany (DIN V 51606) and European Union (EN 14214).
It is used as a medicinal plant in India.
The fruits are edible though their consumption is not recommended because of the general toxicity of the plant.
Images gallery
File:Rhus succedanea - Jardim Botânico de São Paulo - IMG 0258.jpg, Wood sample at Jardim Botânico, São Paulo, Brazil
File:Rhus succedanea-01.jpg, Leaves and flowers
File:Rhus succedanea-03.jpg, Bark
File:Rhus succedanea.jpg, A very common wild tree in Hong Kong
File:Toxicodendron succedaneum.jpg, Detail of flowers
References
External links
{{Authority control
succedaneum
Plants described in 1891