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Might the toxic plant be UPAS?

upastree

take a synonym for cat out of the portmanteau(bag)

up a tree (in difficulty) with s(staff) inside

upastree, up a tree holding s.

preamble says to fill in last row with letters in original order, so that implies no anagram. I did not see any meaning in the letters, but then again I didn't look very hard!

Thanks Chrise, Sudokulover & Kilgore Trout - big help.

However, this throws out my 27a Superficially elusive liar, primarily (3) EN?

Unless my 22d PINGOS is wrong?

22d, GOALIE (Gordon Banks); GO ALIE(n); grid entry LIEGOA

27 EEL; ElusivE + Liar

Thanks again Kilgore Trout