Lithraea caustica | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Rosids |
Order: | Sapindales |
Family: | Anacardiaceae |
Genus: | Lithraea |
Species: | L. caustica |
Binomial name | |
Lithraea caustica Hook. & Arn. |
Lithraea caustica is a species of flowering plants in the soapberry family Anacardiaceae. This plant occurs in central Chile; an example occurrence is in the area of La Campana National Park and Cerro La Campana. The tree is a well known allergenic and can cause a rash of the skin, the effects and susceptibility of which can vary greatly from person to person.
Lithraea caustica has been studied for diurnal variation in photosynthetic function in various seasons. In early summer the photosynthetic peak occurs relatively soon in the morning and declines steadily the remainder of the day; whereas, in late summer there is a morning peak, midday low and a late afternoon peak.