varnish resin derived from a tree indigenous to China, species Rhus vernicifera, commonly known as the varnish tree (q.v.). The manufacturing process was introduced into Japan and remained secret for centuries. A milklike emulsion secured from the tree is concentrated by evaporation to a viscous liquid. When this is applied as a thin film, it hardens in about a day to form a tough skin. The composition is peculiar in that it will dry only in a dark, moist atmosphere; when exposed to light and heat, the varnish remains tacky. It contains a skin irritant, somewhat similar to that in poison ivy, Rhus toxicodendron. See also lacquerwork.