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Leaves of three


Leaves of three
Photo Information
Copyright: Alli Hemingway (annagrace) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 527 W: 18 N: 851] (2996)
Genre: Plants
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-04-27
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2005-04-27 16:27
Viewed: 1191
Points: 4
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
"Leaves of three, let it be. Berries white, take flight". Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) has long-stalked, alternate, three-parted palmate-compound leaves. One leaflet points to the left, one to the right, and one has a stem and points straight ahead. The leaflets have some indentations on the edges that you could almost call teeth. The leaflets range from 4 to 14" long, with pointed tips, and more rounded bases. Their leafstalks are reddish near the leaf’s base.

These variable leaves are dark glossy-green most of the season, although they have red overtones when they first appear in the spring, and they turn scarlet in the fall. The plant is so beautiful in autumn, someone brought it to his garden in England, and now the British Isles are blessed with this plant.

The poison is the yellow oil urushiol, a lacquer-like phenolic compound. It doesn’t affect animals, but four out of five people are allergic to it. Exposure leads to severe skin blistering—contact dermatitis—usually within 1-12 hours. Washing with soap containing oils spreads the urushiol, although washing with an oil-less soap or detergent (see your pharmacist) helps prevent the rash. The oil also spreads through the blood, so you may even break out where you haven’t touched the plant. Even contact with a dog that has run through poison ivy can cause a rash.

This has spread through the ivy in my backyard and has come back to life in the last two weeks. Needless to say, I won't be going back there this summer!

Information taken from econetwork.net.
traveller, angybone, zenitlady has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Thanks for the critique. :)

I like this photo because the subject is 'different.' Poison Ivy! Cool! ha ha

While the subject is a painful one :) , the is a feeling of cool comfort about the photo.
And I like the sunlit background. I think it's a feeling of taking refuge from the summer heat.
That's my 'artistic' critique.

Hello Alli! I've seen weeds I thought might be poison ivy, but now you've provided a definitive photo which will probably stop a lot of scratching among Trekers! Good detail, and very informative note. Well done! Thanks! Linda

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