Metopium brownei

Metopium brownei
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Anacardiaceae
Genus:	Metopium
Species:	M. brownei
Binomial name
Metopium brownei Roxb.

Metopium brownei (also known as chechem, chechen, or black poisonwood) is a species of plant in the family Anacardiaceae.

Distribution and habitat

It is found in Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti), Cuba, Jamaica, northern Guatemala, Belize, and from the Yucatán to Veracruz in Mexico.

Description

Like its cousin, Metopium toxiferum, it produces urushiol in its bark, which can cause contact dermatitis; therefore, live trees and fresh cut logs should be handled carefully. The wood of this tree is a valuable source of lumber in Central America and the West Indies.

References

1. Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI).; IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group. (2019). "Metopium brownei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T61984043A149062143. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T61984043A149062143.en. Retrieved 30 November 2021.