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Wildlife, Animals, and Plants
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Introductory
SPECIES: Toxicodendron rydbergii | Western Poison-Ivy
ABBREVIATION :
TOXRYD
SYNONYMS :
Rhus radicans
Rhus radicans var. rydbergii
Rhus rydbergii
Rhus toxicodendron var. rydbergii
Toxicodendron radicans var. rydbergii
SCS PLANT CODE :
RHRA
RHTO2
COMMON NAMES :
western poison-ivy
poison-ivy
Ryberg's poison-ivy
poison-oak
TAXONOMY :
The fully documented scientific name of western poison-ivy is
Toxicodendron rydbergii (Small) Greene [7].
LIFE FORM :
Shrub
FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS :
No special status
OTHER STATUS :
NO-ENTRY
COMPILED BY AND DATE :
N. McMurray, May 1988
LAST REVISED BY AND DATE :
NO-ENTRY
AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION :
McMurray, Nancy E. 1988. Toxicodendron rydbergii. In: Remainder of Citation
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Toxicodendron rydbergii | Western Poison-Ivy
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION :
Western poison-ivy is the most northerly occurring taxa within the
Toxicodendron complex, ranging across southern Canada from British
Columbia to Nova Scotia [7]. This species is distributed throughout the
northern United States from central Washington and Oregon to New
England, extending southward to Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Texas,
Arizona, and New Mexico [9,21]. Disjunct populations also occur on the
mountaintops of the central Appalachians from Pennsylvania to Virginia [7].
ECOSYSTEMS :
FRES10 White - red - jack pine
FRES11 Spruce - fir
FRES15 Oak - hickory
FRES17 Elm - ash - cottonwood
FRES18 Maple - beech - birch
FRES20 Douglas-fir
FRES21 Ponderosa pine
FRES23 Fir - spruce
FRES28 Western hardwoods
FRES29 Sagebrush
FRES34 Chaparral - mountain shrub
FRES35 Pinyon - juniper
FRES36 Mountain grasslands
FRES38 Plains grasslands
FRES39 Prairie
FRES44 Alpine
STATES :
AZ CO ID IL IN IA KS ME MA MI
MN MT NE NH NM NY ND OH OR PA
SD TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY AB
BC MB NB NS ON PE PQ SK
ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS :
ARCH BICA BLCA CANY CARE COLM
CODA DETO GLAC GLCA GRCA GRTE
GUIS JELA JODA MOCA MORU NATR
NABR PIPE ROMO SCBL THRO TICA
WICR WICA YELL ZION
BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS :
1 Northern Pacific Border
2 Cascade Mountains
5 Columbia Plateau
6 Upper Basin and Range
8 Northern Rocky Mountains
9 Middle Rocky Mountains
10 Wyoming Basin
11 Southern Rocky Mountains
12 Colorado Plateau
13 Rocky Mountain Piedmont
14 Great Plains
15 Black Hills Uplift
16 Upper Missouri Basin and Broken Lands
KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS :
K012 Douglas-fir forest
K016 Eastern ponderosa forest
K017 Black Hills pine forest
K018 Pine - Douglas-fir forest
K019 Arizona pine forest
K020 Spruce - fir - Douglas-fir forest
K023 Juniper - pinyon woodland
K037 Mountain mahogany - oak scrub
K038 Great Basin sagebrush
K051 Sagebrush steppe
K055 Sagebrush steppe
K066 Wheatgrass - needlegrass
K067 Wheatgrass - bluestem - needlegrass
K070 Sandsage - bluestem prairie
K074 Bluestem prairie
K081 Oak savanna
K093 Great Lakes spruce - fir forest
K095 Great Lakes pine forest
K096 Northeastern spruce -fir forest
K098 Northern floodplain forest
K099 Maple - basswood forest
K100 Oak - hickory forest
K101 Elm - ash forest
K102 Beech - maple forest
K106 Northern hardwoods
K107 Northern hardwoods - fir forest
K108 Northern hardwoods - spruce forest
K110 Northeastern oak - pine forest
SAF COVER TYPES :
16 Aspen
22 White pine - hemlock
26 Sugar maple - basswood
43 Bur oak
62 Silver maple - American elm
63 Cottonwood
95 Black willow
96 Overcup oak - water hickory
109 Hawthorn
110 Black oak
210 Interior Douglas-fir
217 Aspen
222 Black cottonwood - willow
235 Cottonwood - willow
236 Bur oak
237 Interior ponderosa pine
239 Pinyon - juniper
252 Paper birch
SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES :
NO-ENTRY
HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES :
Western poison-ivy is a seral species in a variety of plant communities
throughout its range. In the northern Great Plains, it occurs as an
understory species in the ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and ponderosa
pine-common juniper (P. ponderosa-Juniperus scopulorum) upland forest
series. Woodland series with western poison ivy present in the
understory include bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa), green ash (Fraxinus
pennsylvanica), green ash-American elm (Ulmus americana), bur oak-green
ash, and quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides).
VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Toxicodendron rydbergii | Western Poison-Ivy
WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE :
Although contact with western poison-ivy often causes a debilitating
rash in humans, wildlife and livestock can browse this species without
any ill effects [20]. Plants, however, are only sparsely browsed by
either livestock or wildlife.
PALATABILITY :
In general, western poison-ivy is of low palatability to the majority of
wildlife and livestock. Livestock occasionally browse plants on western
rangelands [20]. Since fruits remain on the plant throughout the
winter, quail often eat western poison-ivy fruits during periods of snow
cover in the Great Plains [9]. Fruits are also a fall food item of wild
turkeys in portions of south-central South Dakota [14].
The palatability of western poison-ivy in several western states is
rated as follows [4]:
CO MT ND UT WY
Cattle Poor ---- Fair Poor Poor
Sheep Poor ---- Fair Poor Poor
Horses Poor ---- Poor Poor Poor
Pronghorn ---- Poor Poor Poor Poor
Elk ---- Poor ---- Poor Poor
Mule deer ---- Poor Fair Poor Poor
White-tailed deer ---- Poor Good ---- Poor
Small mammals ---- ---- ---- Poor Good
Small nongame birds ---- ---- Good Poor Good
Upland game birds ---- ---- Good Poor Good
Waterfowl ---- ---- ---- Poor Poor.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE :
Western poison-ivy is rated poor in both energy and protein value [4].
COVER VALUE :
Western poison-ivy cover value for wildlife is rated as follows [4]:
CO MT ND UT WY
Pronghorn ---- ---- Fair Poor Poor
Elk ---- ---- ---- Poor Poor
Mule deer ---- ---- Fair Poor Poor
White-tailed deer ---- ---- Fair ---- Poor
Small mammals ---- ---- ---- Fair Good
Small nongame birds ---- ---- Fair Fair Good
Upland game birds ---- ---- Fair Fair Fair
Waterfowl ---- ---- ---- Poor Poor.
VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES :
NO-ENTRY
OTHER USES AND VALUES :
NO-ENTRY
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
A milky oil in the phloem of western poison-ivy may cause blistering of
human skin within a few hours of contact [21]. Plants must somehow be
damaged in order for the oil to be emitted. Skin rashes can result
from contact with either the liquid oil or its dried, blackened residue.
Secondary objects such as hand tools can also transmit the poison [22].
BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Toxicodendron rydbergii | Western Poison-Ivy
GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS :
Western poison-ivy is a native, rhizomatous, low shrub [9,21].
Throughout much of its distribution, western poison-ivy assumes a
subshrub growth form, typically less than 3 feet (0.9 m) tall [7]. In
Utah, plants are rarely more than 12 inches (30 cm) in height [21].
However, under favorable site conditions where plants have remained
relatively undisturbed for several decades, individuals sometimes reach
heights of 10 feet (3 m) or more [7]. This species exhibits a
nonclimbing habit, differentiating it from eastern poison-ivy
(Toxicodendron radicans), which produces arerial roots [7]. Stems are
somewhat woody, simple or sparsely branched, arising from much branched
rhizomes. Long-stalked leaves are borne alternately near the summit of
the stem and are divided into three coarse-toothed leaftlets [7].
RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM :
Phanerophyte
REGENERATION PROCESSES :
Western poison-ivy regenerates both sexually and vegetatively [7,20].
Sexual reproduction: Numerous, monecious flowers are produced in small,
rather dense axillary clusters. Birds and mammals disperse the fruits.
Unconsumed fruits are retained on the plant through winter and are
deposited beneath parent plant in spring [22]. Since plants readily
invade disturbed areas [7], bare mineral soil appears to be conducive to
germination and establishment.
Vegetative reproduction: Vegetative expansion via rhizome initiation is
a major mode of reproduction in established plants [7]. Leafy shoots
are produced via basal stem nodes located along much branched rhizomes;
on some sites, rhizomes may extend up to 7 feet (several meters) beyond
the parent plant [19]. As a result of this extensive network of
rhizomes, western poison-ivy frequently forms thickets under favorable
site conditions. These thickets may represent a single clone or several
individuals [7].
SITE CHARACTERISTICS :
Western poison-ivy exhibits a wide ecological amplitude and occurs on a
variety of habitats ranging from riverbottoms to subalpine sites [7,20].
Western poison-ivy is considered a ubiquitous weed throughout much of
its distribution and easily invades disturbed areas such as roadsides,
talus slopes, lakeshores, floodplains, fencerows, logging units, sand
dunes, and railroad rights-of-way [7,16,22]. Plants rarely dominate
large areas but may become locally abundant in mesic sites with moderate
amounts of sunlight such as rills, ravines, edges of waterfalls,
creekbanks, streambottoms, river terraces, and floodplains [20,21]. It
occurs on a variety of soils. Plants are frequently found on alluvial
deposits of floodplains and river terraces [7]; this species has also
been reported growing in both sandy and calcareous soils in the Great
Plains [9].
Throughout the western portion of its distribution, western poison-ivy
is usually associated with riparian communities [9,21]. In the northern
Great Plains it is a common understory component of gallery forests and
floodplain communities along the Little Missouri River and its major
tributaries [8,16]. Plants occur to a lesser extent on forested upland
sites throughout this region [10,11,18]. Tree associates in the Great
Plains include water birch (Betula occidentalis), paper birch (B.
papyrifera), quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), eastern cottonwood
(Populus deltoides), eastern hophornbeam (Ostyra virginiana), green ash,
American elm, ponderosa pine, and common juniper. Shrub associates
include western snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis), chokecherry
(Prunus virginana), bur oak, Oregon-grape (Mahonia repens), western
hazelnut (Corylus cornuta), fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica), and Wood's
rose (Rosa woodsii). Herbaceous associates include Canada wildrye
(Elymus canadensis) and wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis). Ranging
from the foothills through the ponderosa pine belt in the Rocky
Mountains, this species is also able to occupy more xeric sites
including orchards, open woods, dry rocky hillsides, and canyon bottoms
[12,20].
In the eastern United States plants usually inhabit more open areas
within hardwood forests where sugar maple (Acer saccharum), yellow birch
(Betula alligheniensis), beech (Fagus grandifolia), basswood (Tilia
americana), and hop hornbeam (Ostyra spp.) comprise the overstory.
Other overstory dominates on many sites in the Northeast include hemlock
(Tsuga canadensis), eastern white pine (Pinus strobus), balsam fir
(Abies balsamea), and red spruce (Picea rubens). In the East western
poison-ivy typically occupies mesic sites but is also commonly found on
rocky fields, pastures, talus slopes, precipices, gypsum cliffs, and
slatey ledges [7].
Elevational ranges for several western states are as follows
[4,10,11,12,21]:
from 4,500 to 8,500 feet (1,372-2,591 m) in CO
2,000 to 4,000 feet (610-1,220 m) in MT
1,968 to 2,722 feet (600-830 m) in ND
3,500 to 6,525 feet (1,067-1,989 m) in SD
3,690 to 7,413 feet (1,125-2,260 m) in UT
3,700 to 7,200 feet (974-2,195 m) in WY.
SUCCESSIONAL STATUS :
Facultative Seral Species
Western poison ivy is a ruderal species and is a common early seral
component of numerous riparian communities throughout its widespread
distribution [7]. Plants rapidly invade disturbed sites where
competition has been reduced. They are well adapted to the continued
disturbances characteristic of floodplains and lakeshores [8]. Although
this species establishes during early seral stages, its persistence on a
site is somewhat unclear. On floodplain sites along the Little Missouri
River in North Dakota, highest cover (18%) of western poison-ivy
occurred on the most recent alluvial deposits. Within these cottonwood
(Populus deltoides) communties, western poison-ivy cover gradually
declined as the overstory canopy began to close; on climax sites
described as a green ash/western snowberry habitat type, it was still
present but cover was substantially reduced (4.4%) [8].
SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT :
Detailed information concerning the seasonal development of western
poison-ivy is not available. On the Great Plains plants sometimes bloom
twice within one season; first in May or June and again in August or
September [9]. Fruits are usually well developed by fall and often
persist on the plant through the winter [20]. Dittberner and Olson [4]
list the following anthesis data for several western states:
State Earliest flowering Latest flowering
CO May June
ND May July
UT June July
WY June September.
FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Toxicodendron rydbergii | Western Poison-Ivy
FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS :
Limited data from ponderosa pine sites in the southern Black Hills of
South Dakota indicates that this species is generally well adapted to
disturbance by fire [3]. Plants resprout via an extensive rhizome
system following cool fires. Postfire regeneration may also involve
seedling establishment from off-site seeds which are dispersed by birds
and mammals [22].
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY :
Small shrub, adventitious-bud root crown
FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Toxicodendron rydbergii | Western Poison-Ivy
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT :
Information concerning the effect of fire on western poison-ivy has not
been widely documented. Although aerial portions are readily killed by
burning, the presence of rhizomes suggests that this species is somewhat
resistant to fire mortality. Western poison-ivy may be damaged by
severe fire. In a ponderosa pine stand in South Dakota, western
poison-ivy was not a component of the postburn community 5 years after
an intense crown fire; unfortunately no prefire data were taken for this
site [3]. Although rhizome depth has not been reported for western
poison-ivy, these data suggest that rhizomes may be located within the
top inch (2.5 cm) of soil where perennating buds are more susceptible to
damage from downward heat pulses generated by severe fires [3].
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT :
NO-ENTRY
PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE :
Following fire western poison-ivy resprouts via surviving perennating
buds located along much-branched rhizomes [3]. Review of the literature
revealed only one study dealing with fire response of western
poison-ivy. Bock and Bock [3] found that western poison-ivy regained
prefire densities by the first postfire growing season following spring
and fall prescribed, cool, surface fires in the pine-grassland ecotone
of the southern Black Hills. Apparently burning did not initiate
vigorous sprouting in this species; no significant increase in stem
density was recorded during two postfire growing seasons. Compared with
prefire measurements, average plant heights following fire were shorter;
however, prefire and postfire crown widths were not significantly
different [2].
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE :
NO-ENTRY
FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
NO-ENTRY
REFERENCES
SPECIES: Toxicodendron rydbergii | Western Poison-Ivy
REFERENCES :
1. Bernard, Stephen R.; Brown, Kenneth F. 1977. Distribution of mammals,
reptiles, and amphibians by BLM physiographic regions and A.W. Kuchler's
associations for the eleven western states. Tech. Note 301. Denver, CO:
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 169 p.
[434]
2. Bock, Jane H.; Bock, Carl E. [n.d.]. Some effects of fire on vegetation
and wildlife in ponderosa pine forests of the southern Black Hills.
Final Report. Contracts CX-1200-9-B034, CX-1200-0-B018, CX-1200-1-B022;
Grant No. RM-80-105 GR. Unpublished report on file with: U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, Fire
Sciences Lab, Missoula, MT. 58 p. [479]
3. Bock, Jane H.; Bock, Carl E. 1984. Effects of fires on woody vegetation
in the pine-grassland ecotone of the southern Black Hills. American
Midland Naturalist. 112(1): 35-42. [477]
4. Dittberner, Phillip L.; Olson, Michael R. 1983. The plant information
network (PIN) data base: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, Utah, and
Wyoming. FWS/OBS-83/86. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior,
Fish and Wildlife Service. 786 p. [806]
5. Eyre, F. H., ed. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and
Canada. Washington, DC: Society of American Foresters. 148 p. [905]
6. Garrison, George A.; Bjugstad, Ardell J.; Duncan, Don A.; [and others].
1977. Vegetation and environmental features of forest and range
ecosystems. Agric. Handb. 475. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service. 68 p. [998]
7. Gillis, William T. 1971. The systematics and ecology of poison-ivy and
the poison-oaks (Toxicodendron, Anacardiaceae). Rhodora. 73: 370-443.
[8104]
8. Girard, Michele Marie. 1985. Native woodland ecology and habitat
classification of southwestern North Dakota. Fargo, ND: North Dakota
State University. 314 p. Dissertation. [1025]
9. Great Plains Flora Association. 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas. 1392 p. [1603]
10. Hansen, Paul L.; Hoffman, George R.; Bjugstad, Ardell J. 1984. The
vegetation of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota: a habitat
type classification. Gen. Tech. Rep. RM-113. Fort Collins, CO: U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and
Range Experiment Station. 35 p. [1077]
11. Hansen, Paul L.; Hoffman, George R.; Steinauer, Gerry A. 1984. Upland
forest and woodland habitat types of the Missouri Plateau, Great Plains
Province. In: Noble, Daniel L.; Winokur, Robert P., eds. Wooded draws:
characteristics and values for the Northern Great Plains: Symposium
proceedings; 1984 June 12-13; Rapid City, SD. Great Plains Agricultural
Council Publ. No. 111. Rapid City, SD: South Dakota School of Mines and
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12. Hoffman, George R.; Alexander, Robert R. 1987. Forest vegetation of the
Black Hills National Forest of South Dakota and Wyoming: a habitat type
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Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment
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of the conterminous United States. Special Publication No. 36. New York:
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turkeys in south central South Dakota. Prairie Naturalist. 19(1): 37-40.
[251]
15. Lyon, L. Jack; Stickney, Peter F. 1976. Early vegetal succession
following large northern Rocky Mountain wildfires. In: Proceedings, Tall
Timbers fire ecology conference and Intermountain Fire Research Council
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14. Tallahassee, FL: Tall Timbers Research Station: 355-373. [1496]
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C., eds. 1987. A Utah flora. Great Basin Naturalist Memoir No. 9. Provo,
UT: Brigham Young University. 894 p. [2944]
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Index
Related categories for Species: Toxicodendron rydbergii
| Western Poison-Ivy
|
 |
