SC - Sumac

[Lilinah biti-Anat]

Chante asked:
> > Is this sumac ya'll are talking about the same sumac many people are
> > allergic to, or is it something else?

Bear responded
>Sumac is a generic name for various plants in the family Anacardiaceae.
>Most sumacs are genus Rhus.  Poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac may be
>considered genus Rhus, but are often placed in genus Toxicodendron, due
>their containing urushiol.  The most common of these plants is T. radicans
>(poison ivy).  Poison sumac is usually used to denote T. vernix.

You wouldn't want to cook with the toxic kind.

>Other members of the family are used for tea, wine and medicine, i.e., Rhus
>typhira (staghorn sumac).

And the sumac used for seasoning Middle Eastern food is not the same 
plant that gives people terrible itchy rashes. It's a different 
sumac. (i think this wasn't entirely clear in Bear's very helpful 
post)

Anahita al-shazhiya

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