Tree-of-heaven
General poisoning notes:
Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus
altissima) is an ornamental found in the warmest parts of Canada. Exposure
to the leaves may have caused dermatitis in humans and it is suspected of being
a poisonous plant as well. However, convincing documentation of poisoning is
lacking. The tree has been suspected of causing gastroenteritis. (Muenscher
1975, Mitchell and Rook 1979).
Description:
Trees, deciduous,
up to 20 m tall; bark smooth and straightly grained. Branches with pith, yellow
or yellow-brown pubescent when young, then glabrescent. Leaves odd-pinnate,
40-60 cm; petiole 7-13 cm; leaflets 13-27, opposite or nearly so; blades
ovate-lanceolate, abaxially dark green, adaxially gray-green, smelly when
rubbed. Panicles 10-30 cm. Flowers light green; pedicel 1-2.5 mm. Sepals 5,
imbricate, 0.5-1 mm. Petals 5, 2-2.5 mm, base hispid. Stamens 10; filaments
densely hispid basally, longer than petals in males, shorter than petals in
females; anthers oblong, ca. 1 mm. Carpels 5; styles connate; stigmas 5-lobed.
Samarium oblong, 3-4.5 × 1-1.2 cm. Seed in middle of wing, flat-globose. Fl.
Apr-May, fr. Aug-Oct.
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Ailanthus altissima (Mill.)
Swingle
Vernacular
name(s): tree-of-heaven
Scientific family
name: Simaroubaceae
Vernacular family
name: quassia
Geographic Information
Found in many habitats; 100-2500 m. All regions of China except Hainan, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Ningxia, Qinghai [widely cultivated and naturalized elsewhere].
Toxic parts:
Flowers, leaves.
Animals/Human Poisoning:
Note: When an
animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993)
contained no detailed explanation.
Humans
General symptoms of
poisoning:
Erythema.
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