Rhus succedanea (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Rhus succedanea L.

Protologue: Mant. pl. 2: 221 (1771).

Family: Anacardiaceae

Rhus succedanea L. - 1, fruiting twig; 2, flower; 3, dissected flower

Synonyms

• Toxicodendron succedanea (L.) Moldenke (1946).

Vernacular names

• Wax tree, Japanese wax tree (En)
• Thailand: kaen mo (north-eastern), makok kiam (south-western), makkak khao (south-eastern)
• Vietnam: sơn dầu, sơn lắs.

Distribution

Found from India, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, to Indo-China, China, Taiwan, the Ryukyu Islands and Japan; in Malesia found in Peninsular Malaysia and northern Sumatra, formerly rarely cultivated in Java.

Uses

The wax of R. succedanea is used medicinally to seal wounds and as a medium for ointments. In India, horn-like galls on the branches are credited with astringent, tonic, expectorant and stimulant properties. They are used for diarrhoea and dysentery in children. R. succedanea is cultivated in Japan, China and Vietnam for the fruits from which a wax (sumach wax, Japan tallow, vegetable wax) is extracted for use in varnishes, polishes, ointments, and plasters. The fruits are applied in the treatment of epilepsy, hiccups, hysteria and vomiting. It is a popular plant for cultivation as a bonsai.

Observations

• A small tree or shrub up to 5(-15) m tall, stem up to 50 cm in diameter.
• Leaves imparipinnate with (2-)3-4(-6) pairs of leaflets, rachis (1.5-)8-27 cm long, petiole 4-6 cm long, leaflets lanceolate to linear, 3-8 cm × 1.3-2.5 cm, base obliquely cuneate, apex acuminate, entire, lower surface sparsely pubescent, usually with a group of reddish brown papillae or glands in the axils of the veins.
• Inflorescence axillary, paniculate, up to 24 cm long, branches up to 10 cm long.
• Flowers usually bisexual, creamy white, calyx lobes triangular, petals ovate or slightly oblong, 1-1.5 mm × 0.7 mm, stamens 1.5-2.5 mm long, ovary subglobose, glabrous.
• Drupe subglobose, 5-8 mm in diameter, dull yellowish when ripe, exocarp separating from mesocarp in ripe fruits.

R. succedanea is found on open slopes or along streams in montane forest at 900-2200 m altitude.

Selected sources

• [215] Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, 1948—1976. The wealth of India: a dictionary of Indian raw materials & industrial products. 11 volumes. Publications and Information Directorate, New Delhi, India.
• [312] Flore du Cambodge, du Laos et du Viêtnam [Flora of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam](various editors), 1960—. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France.
• [407] Heyne, K., 1950. De nuttige planten van Indonesië [The useful plants of Indonesia]. 3rd Edition. 2 volumes. W. van Hoeve, 's-Gravenhage, the Netherlands/Bandung, Indonesia. 1660 + CCXLI pp.
• [616] Lin, Y.M., Anderson, H., Flavin, M.T., Pai, Y.H.S., Mata-Greenwood, E., Pengsuparp, T., Pezzuto, J.M., Schinazi, R.F., Hughes, S.H. & Chen, F.C., 1997. In vitro anti-HIV activity of biflavonoids isolated from Rhus succedanea and Garcinia multiflora. Journal of Natural Products 60(9): 884—888.
• [617] Lin, Y.M., Chen, F.C. & Lee, K.H., 1989. Hinokiflavone, a cytotoxic principle from Rhus succedanea and the cytotoxicity of the related biflavonoids. Planta Medica 55(2): 166—168.
• [618] Lin, Y.M., Zembower, D.E., Flavin, M.T., Schure, R.M., Anderson, H.M., Korba, B.E. & Chen, F.C., 1997. Robustaflavone, a naturally occurring biflavonoid, is a potent non-nucleoside inhibitor of hepatitis B virus replication in vitro. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 7(17): 2325—2328.
• [647] Mansfeld, R., 1986. Verzeichnis landwirtschaftlicher und gärtnerischer Kulturpflanzen (ohne Zierpflanzen) [Register of agricultural and horticultural plants in cultivation (without ornamentals)]. Schultze-Motel, J. et al. (Editors). 2nd Edition. 4 volumes. Springer Verlag, Berlin, Germany. 1998 pp.
• [712] Na, C.S., Jung, N.C. & Oh, K.I., 1998. In vitro cytotoxic activity of urushiol in the sap of Rhus verniciflua Stokes. Journal of Korean Forestry Society 87(2): 260—269. (in Korean)
• [786] Perry, L.M., 1980. Medicinal plants of East and Southeast Asia. Attributed properties and uses. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States & London, United Kingdom. 620 pp.

Main genus page

• Rhus

Authors

• S. Aggarwal