Sumac

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Tanner's Sumach
• Elm-Leaved Sumac
• Sumac
• Sicilian sumac
• tanner's sumac

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Rhus coriaria f. longifolia
• Rhus variifolia
• Rhus ornifolia
• Toxicodendron coriaria
• Rhus heterophylla
• Rhus coriaria var. longifolia
• Rhus sumac
• Rhus coriaria var. zebaria

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Under the subclass Magnoliidae, it follows the order Sapindales and the family Anacardiaceae. Ultimately, it is identified by its genus, Rhus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific range of distribution across several European regions. In Northern Europe, its presence can be noted in Great Britain. Moving toward Middle Europe, the species is found within Germany. Its range extends significantly into Southwestern Europe, covering the territory of France. Finally, the distribution continues through the southwestern reaches of Portugal and Spain.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Rhus coriaria is characterized by its ability to thrive across a diverse range of topographical settings, specifically favoring mountains, shores, and stony places. It demonstrates significant altitudinal flexibility, inhabiting various terrain types from low-lying areas up to high-altitude environments. Its vertical distribution spans an elevational range starting from a minimum of 200 m AMSL and extending to a maximum of 1900 m AMSL, allowing it to colonize a wide breadth of ecological niches within these landscapes.

Elevational range max:

1900 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

200 m AMSL

Habitat :

mountains, shores, stony places

Life history

The life history of Rhus coriaria is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist in its environment over multiple growing seasons. It is classified as a phanerophyte, specifically exhibiting a phanerophyte life form where its regenerative buds are located high above the ground on woody stems. This species maintains an evergreen deciduousness, retaining its foliage to support continuous physiological processes throughout its life cycle.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Rhus coriaria is characterized by its growth form as a woody shrub, typically reaching a plant height ranging from a minimum of 1 meter to a maximum of 5 meters. As an independent organism, it does not function as a parasite and thrives in terrestrial environments, rather than aquatic or semiaquatic habitats. The plant exhibits a robust, woody structure consistent with its shrubby habit.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

5 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Rhus coriaria is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The vegetative structure features an alternate leaf arrangement, with individual leaves exhibiting an elliptic form. These leaves vary in size, with a minimum length of 2 cm and a maximum length reaching up to 5.5 cm.

Leaf arrangement :

alternate

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

5.5 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Rhus coriaria is characterized by a flowering period that typically begins in April and extends through July. The plant produces small, white flowers arranged in a panicle inflorescence, with individual flower lengths ranging from a minimum of 0.3 cm to a maximum of 0.35 cm. Following pollination, the plant develops fleshy, brown fruits classified as drupes. These fruits are relatively small, featuring a mean length of 0.52 cm and a mean width of 0.48 cm, with dimensions ranging from a minimum width of 0.4 cm to a maximum width of 0.6 cm. The fruits are indehiscent, meaning they do not split open at maturity to release seeds. The seeds contained within are characterized by a mean mass of approximately 0.01157 g (ranging from 0.01142 g to 0.01572 g) and a consistent volume of 8.6 mm³. Dispersal of the seeds is achieved through a zoochorous syndrome, specifically via endozoochory, where animals consume the fleshy fruit and disperse the seeds through their digestive tracts.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

endozoochorous

Flower colour :

white

Flower length max:

0.35 cm

Flower length min:

0.3 cm

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit colour :

brown

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length mean:

0.52 cm

Fruit type :

drupe

Fruit width max:

0.6 cm

Fruit width mean:

0.48 cm

Fruit width min:

0.4 cm

Inflorescence :

panicle

Seed mass max:

0.01572 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0115738096666667 g

Seed mass min:

0.01142 g

Seed volume max:

8.6 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Rhus coriaria has 3 reported plant parts identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, leaf, flower.

Fruit

1. Heliyon
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Leaf

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. Anesthesiology and pain medicine
3. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Flower

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Chemicals

Rhus coriaria has 35 reported phytochemicals identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Tannins, Gallic acid, polyphenols, Amentoflavone.

Flavonoids

1. Anesthesiology and pain medicine
2. The journal of physiological sciences : JPS
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Archiv der Pharmazie
5. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD

Tannins

1. Current rheumatology reviews
2. The American journal of Chinese medicine
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Annals of parasitology
5. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD

Gallic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. The American journal of Chinese medicine
3. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
4. Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England)

polyphenols

1. Food science & nutrition
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD

Amentoflavone

1. Journal of food science
2. Archiv der Pharmazie

Anthocyanins

1. Food science & nutrition
2. Archiv der Pharmazie

Tannin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Terpenoids

1. Current rheumatology reviews
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

2,4-DECADIENAL

1. Scientific reports

ANTHOCYANIN

1. Scientific reports

Activities

Rhus coriaria has 249 reported activities identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antidiabetic, Analgesic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
3. Scientific reports
4. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD
5. Journal of medicinal food

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports
3. Annals of parasitology
4. Nutrients
5. Journal of medicinal food

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Bioscience reports
3. Journal of medicinal food

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of medicinal food
3. Pharmaceutical biology

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Anesthesiology and pain medicine

Antiangiogenic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Research in pharmaceutical sciences

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of medicinal food

Neuroprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of medicinal food

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Rhus coriaria has 41 reported investigations on conditions identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cancer, gastritis, inflammation, obesity, wound healing.

Cancer

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
2. Bioscience reports
3. Computers in biology and medicine
4. Research in pharmaceutical sciences
5. Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England)

Gastritis

1. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR
2. Nutrients

Inflammation

1. Planta medica
2. Inflammopharmacology

Obesity

1. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Wound healing

1. Heliyon
2. Inflammopharmacology

Acinetobacter baumannii

1. Annals of parasitology

Apo b

1. Complementary therapies in medicine

Blood glucose

1. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI

Covid-19

1. Mediators of inflammation

Enterococcus faecalis

1. Annals of parasitology

Preparations

Rhus coriaria has 17 reported preparations identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include 80% aqueous methanol, Jujube syrup, Persumac, acetone extract, aqueous extracts.

80% aqueous methanol

1. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR

Jujube syrup

1. Dermatologic therapy

Persumac

1. Electronic physician

Acetone extract

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Aqueous extracts

1. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)

Condiment

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Dying agent

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Fruits

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Hydro alcoholic leaf extract

1. The journal of physiological sciences : JPS