''Toxicodendron succedaneum'', the wax tree, Japanese Hazenoki tree (Sumac or wax tree), sơn in

Vietnamese Vietnamese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia * Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam ** Overseas Vietnamese, Vietnamese people living outside Vietna ...

or charão in Portuguese, is a flowering plant species in the genus ''

Toxicodendron ''Toxicodendron'' is a genus of flowering plants in the sumac family, Anacardiaceae. It contains trees, shrubs and woody vines, including poison ivy, poison oak, and the lacquer tree. All members of the genus produce the skin-irritating oil ...

'' found in Asia, although it has been planted elsewhere, most notably Australia and New Zealand. It is a large

shrub A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only ...

, 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 Ornamental plants or ''garden plants'' are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars th ...

, often by gardeners who were apparently unaware of the dangers of allergic reactions. It is now officially classified as a

noxious weed A noxious weed, harmful weed or injurious weed is a weed that has been designated by an agricultural or other governing authority as a plant that is harmful to agricultural or horticultural crops, natural habitats or ecosystems, or humans or lives ...

in Australia and New Zealand. It is one of the city tree symbols of

Kurume, Fukuoka is a city in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 295,367 in 137,140 households, and a population density of 1309 people per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Kurume is located in the Chikugo Plain ...

, Japan. The larvae of the moths '' Eteoryctis deversa'', '' Caloptilia aurifasciata'', '' Caloptilia protiella'', '' Caloptilia rhois'', and '' Callidrepana patrana'' 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 toxic metals, toxic chemicals, microbe neurotoxins, radiation particles and even specific neurotransmitters when the system is out of balance. Also some types of dr ...

biflavonoid. Its stems are also a commercial source of

fisetin Fisetin (7,3′,4′- flavon-3-ol) is a plant flavonol from the flavonoid group of polyphenols. It occurs in many plants where it serves as a yellow pigment A pigment is a powder used to add or alter color or change visual appearance. Pig ...

, 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 c ...

. In Vietnam, lacquer is used to produce

lacquer painting Lacquer painting is a form of painting with lacquer which was practised in East Asia for decoration on lacquerware, and found its way to Europe and the Western World both via Persia and the Middle East and by direct contact with Continental Asia. Th ...

s, known as sơn mài, from resin of the tree. In East Asia, in particular in Japan, traditional candle fuel (also called

Japan wax Japan wax (木蝋 ''Mokurō''), also known as sumac wax, sumach wax, vegetable wax, China green tallow, and Japan tallow, is a pale-yellow, waxy, water-insoluble solid with a gummy feel, obtained from the berries of certain sumacs native to Japan a ...

) was produced, among other sumac plants, from ''Toxicodendron succedaneum'' crushed fruits rather than beeswax or animal fats. Japan's wax is a byproduct of

manufacture. It is not a true

wax Waxes are a diverse class of organic compounds that are lipophilic, malleable solids near ambient temperatures. They include higher alkanes and lipids, typically with melting points above about 40 °C (104 °F), melting to give lo ...

but a fat that contains 10–15%

palmitin Tripalmitin is a triglyceride derived from the fatty acid palmitic acid Palmitic acid (hexadecanoic acid in IUPAC nomenclature) is a fatty acid with a 16-carbon chain. It is the most common saturated fatty acid found in animals, plants and mic ...

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 ...

, and

olein Triolein (glyceryl trioleate) is a symmetrical triglyceride derived from glycerol and three units of the unsaturated fatty acid oleic acid. Most triglycerides are unsymmetrical, being derived from mixtures of fatty acids. Triolein represents 4– ...

with about 1%

japanic acid Japanic acid or heneicosanedioic acid is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . The compound is a long-chain dicarboxylic acid, one of the longest naturally occurring dicarboxylic acids. Initially, it was extracted from natural fat calle ...

(1,21-heneicosanedioic acid). Japan wax is sold in flat squares or disks and has a rancid odor. It is extracted by expression, heat, or the action of

solvent A solvent (from the Latin language, Latin ''wikt:solvo#Latin, solvō'', "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a Solution (chemistry), solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas ...

s. The fatty-acid methyl ester of the kernel oil meets all of the major

biodiesel Biodiesel is a renewable biofuel, a form of diesel fuel, derived from biological sources like vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled greases, and consisting of long-chain fatty acid esters. It is typically made from fats. The roots of bi ...

requirements in the USA (ASTM D 6751-02, ASTM PS 121-99), Germany (DIN V 51606), and the 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

Chemistry

Uses

Images gallery

See also

References

External links