Poison Ivy?

Question

Is poison ivy considered and Angiosperm? And also, what role does poison ivy play in the ecosystem?

Answer 1

Yes, poison ivy is an angiosperm. It is a flowering plant from the cashew family, although you've probably never noticed it in bloom:  http://www.altnature.com/Poison_ivy/pois...

The berries are an important food source for birds.  Some mammals, including deer, can eat the leaves and twigs as well as the berries.

When it grows up trees, it can overtop and shade their leaves, weakening them - the poison ivy prevents the tree leaves from receiving as much light, so it can't make as much food.   The added weight of the poison ivy, if thick, can also break the limbs.  In the timber industry, having poison ivy (or any other type of vine climbing a tree about to be cut down) is a danger, since the vine can prevent the tree from falling where the cutter intends.