''Toxicodendron succedaneum'', the wax tree, Japanese Hazenoki tree (Sumac or wax tree), sơn in
Vietnamese 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
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 ...
or
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, 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 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 c ...
. In Vietnam, 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's 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 c ...
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 ...
, 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, 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
See also
*
Urushiol
Urushiol is an oily mixture of organic compounds with Allergic contact dermatitis, allergenic properties found in plants of the Family (biology), family Anacardiaceae, especially ''Toxicodendron'' ''spp.'' (e.g., poison oak, Toxicodendron vernic ...
References
External links
{{Authority control
succedaneum
Plants described in 1891