General poisoning notes:

Australian umbrella tree (Brassaia actinophylla) is an ornamental shrub grown indoors in Canada. This plant caused toxic symptoms in a dog after it ingested the leaves. Experimental work on rats caused death after they ingested 3.2 g of leaf tissue over 7 days. Symptoms in the rats included extramedullary hematopoiesis in the spleen, with black tarry gastrointestinal content caused by blood (Quam et al. 1985).

References:

Mitchell, J. C. 1981. Allergic contact dermatitis from Hedera helix and Brassaia actinophylla (Araliaceae). Contact Dermatitis, 7: 158-159.

Quam, V. C., Schermeister, L. J., Tanner, N. S. 1985. Investigation for toxicity of a household plant - Australian umbrella tree (Brassaia actinophylla Endl.). N. D. Farm Res., 43: 15-17.

Spoerke, D. G., Smolinske, S. C. 1990. Toxicity of houseplants. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., USA. 335 pp.

Nomenclature:

Scientific Name: Brassaia actinophylla Endl.

Vernacular name(s): Australian umbrella tree

Scientific family name: Araliaceae

Vernacular family name: aralia

References:

Agriculture Quebec. 1975. Noms des maladies des plantes du Canada/ Names of plant diseases in Canada. , Quebec City, Que., Canada. 288 pp.

Alex, J. F., Cayouette, R., Mulligan, G. A. 1980. Common and botanical names of weeds in Canada/Noms populaire et scientifiques des plantes nuisibles du Canada. Revised. Agric. Can. Publ., Ottawa, Ont., Canada. 132 pp.

Bailey, L. H., Bailey, E. Z. 1976. Hortus third. Revised. MacMillan, New York, N.Y., USA. 1290 pp.

Scoggan, H. J. 1978, 1979. The flora of Canada. Nat. Mus. Nat. Sci. (Ottawa) Publ. Bot. 7(1)-7(4). 1711 pp.

Van Wijk, H. L. 1911. A dictionary of plant names. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, The Netherlands. 1444 pp.

Victorin, M. 1964. Flore Laurentienne. 2nd ed. Univ. Montreal, Montreal, Que., Canada. 952 pp.

Geographic Information

Plant or plant parts used in or around the home.

References:

Bailey, L. H., Bailey, E. Z. 1976. Hortus third. Revised. MacMillan, New York, N.Y., USA. 1290 pp.

Boivin, B. 1966, 1967. Énumération des plantes du Canada. Provencheria 6. Nat. Can. (Que.) 93: 253-274; 371-437; 583-646; 989-1063. 94: 131-157; 471-528; 625-655.

Toxic parts:

leaves

References:

Quam, V. C., Schermeister, L. J., Tanner, N. S. 1985. Investigation for toxicity of a household plant - Australian umbrella tree (Brassaia actinophylla Endl.). N. D. Farm Res., 43: 15-17.

Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:

Chemical analysis (Quam et al. 1985) revealed that leaves contain oxalates and saponins as well as some cardiac glycosides and alkaloids.

Toxic plant chemicals:

oxalate

References:

Quam, V. C., Schermeister, L. J., Tanner, N. S. 1985. Investigation for toxicity of a household plant - Australian umbrella tree (Brassaia actinophylla Endl.). N. D. Farm Res., 43: 15-17.

Animals/Human Poisoning:

Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.

Dogs

General symptoms of poisoning:

anorexia
ataxia
vomiting

Notes on poisoning:

A poodle that ingested Australian umbrella tree leaves suffered from vomiting, leucopenia, anorexia, and ataxia. The leaves were found to contain 0.9%-1.5% oxalate crystals by weight (Spoerke and Smolinske 1990).

References:

Spoerke, D. G., Smolinske, S. C. 1990. Toxicity of houseplants. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., USA. 335 pp.

Humans

General symptoms of poisoning:

erythema

References:

Mitchell, J. C. 1981. Allergic contact dermatitis from Hedera helix and Brassaia actinophylla (Araliaceae). Contact Dermatitis, 7: 158-159.

Rodents

General symptoms of poisoning:

death
hemorrhage

References:

Quam, V. C., Schermeister, L. J., Tanner, N. S. 1985. Investigation for toxicity of a household plant - Australian umbrella tree (Brassaia actinophylla Endl.). N. D. Farm Res., 43: 15-17.

Information Source: ©Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System, Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility.