Pete -
You are correct - there are no thorns on the poison ivy plant. And since I'm just a faceless respondent here :-) - I'll give you some passages from noted reference books.
From Peterson Field Guides - Eastern Trees:
POISON-IVY Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze or Rhus radicans L. This plant is not a tree but a small erect shrub or tree-climbing vine frequently encountered in the field. Learn to recognize the three-parted leaves, which are variably toothed but have a pointed end leaflet on a longer stalk than the side ones. The stems of old vines may be densely black-fibrous, while yound stems are merely brown-hairless.
Peterson Field Guides - Venemous Animals & Poisonous Plants:
POISON IVY Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze. Highly variable trailing vine, or climbing by aerial rootlets. Its hairy trunk, resembling "hairy rope," hugs tree trunks as it climbs. Leaves are alternate, with 3 leaflets, outermost leaf on longer stalk; irregularly toothed, smooth above, hairy beneath. Flowers pendent, in small clusters in leaf axils, male and female on separate plants; June-July. Fruits smooth or hairy Aug. - Nov.
The Illustrated Book of Wildflowers and Shrubs by William Carey Grimm
POISON-IVY Toxicodendron radicans. FIELD MARKS. An erect or trailing leaf-losing shrub, or woody vine climbing by means of aerial rootlets on the stems; growing in wooded areas, thickets, clearings, or along fence rows and roadsides. Leaves alternate, long-stalked, compound, 4 to 12 inches long; the 3 leaflets oval or egg-shaped, rounded or broadly pointed at base, pointed at tip, usually with a few course teeth on margin, often lustrous above, paler and slightly downy beneath, 11/2 to 8 inches long; the end leaflet rather long-stalked, the side ones almost stalkless.
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Back to me - there are a number of thorny plants with trifoliate leaves (with 3 leaflets). They include but are not limited to blackberry, raspberry, dewberry, wild rose, and prairie rose. Perhaps your wife has mistaken one of these other plants for poison ivy?
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