Wax Tree

Flowering in May; fruiting from July to October.

Toxicodendron succedaneum is close relative of Toxicodendron kiangsiense, but differs from the latter in its glabrous or subglabrous (vs. yellow tomentose) buds, glabrous (vs. sparsely pubescent) leaves.

Toxicodendron succedaneum is occurring in Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, SE Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang of China, Cambodia, India, Japan, Korea, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam.

Trees, 1-10 m tall; buds glabrous or subglabrous. branchlets glabrous to pubescent, terminal buds glabrous to tomentose. Leaf rachis terete; Petiole 6-9 cm, glabrous or pubescent; rachis terete or narrowly winged distally, glabrous to pubescent; leaf blade imparipinnately compound, 20-35 cm; leaflets 9-15, opposite or subopposite; leaflet petiolule 2-5 mm; leaflet blade oblong-elliptic to ovate-lanceolate, 5-16 cm long, 1-5.5 cm wide, papery or thinly leathery, glabrous on both surfaces, glaucous abaxially, base oblique, rounded or broadly cuneate, margin entire, apex acuminate to caudate-acuminate, lateral veins 15-22 pairs, slightly prominent on both surfaces. Inflorescence paniculate, 7-15 cm, many branched, glabrous. Pedicel ca. 2 mm; flowers yellowish green, ca. 2 mm in diameter. Calyx glabrous, lobes broadly ovate, ca. 1 mm, obtuse apically. Petals oblong, ca. 2 mm, obtuse apically, with ± conspicuous featherlike venation pattern, revolute at anthesis. Stamens exserted; filaments linear, ca. 2 mm; anthers ovoid, ca. 1 mm. Disk 5-lobed. Ovary globose, glabrous. Drupe large, asymmetrical, 7-10 mm in diameter, compressed, apex eccentric; epicarp thin, yellow, glabrous; mesocarp thick, white, waxy, with brown longitudinal resin ducts.

Growing in lowland and hill forest; 300-2500 m.

From fruits of Toxicodendron succedaneum a wax is extracted for use in varnishes and polishes.