Zanthoxylum
Encyclopedia
Zanthoxylum is a genus
of about 250 species of deciduous
and evergreen
tree
s and shrub
s in the citrus
or rue
family
, Rutaceae
, native to warm temperate
and subtropical
areas worldwide. Common names include Prickly-ash and Hercules' Club.
The fruit
of several species are used to make the spice
Sichuan pepper
. They are also used as bonsai
trees. Historically, the bark was widely used for toothache, colic, and rheumatism.
words ξανθὸς (xanthos), meaning "yellow," and ξύλον (xylon), meaning "wood." It refers to a yellow dye made from the roots of some species. The Takhtajan system
places the genus in the subfamily
Rutoideae, tribe
Zanthoxyleae, while Germplasm Resources Information Network
places it in the subfamily Toddalioideae and does not assign it to a tribe. The once separate genus Fagara is now included in Zanthoxylum.
and in temperate climates they can be grown quite well indoors. Zanthoxylum beecheyanum and Zanthoxylum piperitum are two species commonly grown as bonsai.
s are made from a number of species in this genus, especially Zanthoxylum piperitum, Z. simulans
, Z. bungeanum, Z. schinifolium Z. nitidum, Z. rhetsa, Z. alatum, and Z. acanthopodium. Sichuan pepper
is most often made by grinding the husks that surround Z. piperitum berries. In the states of Maharashtra
, Karnataka
, and Goa
in Western India
, the berries of Z. rhetsa are sun-dried
and added to foods such as legumes and fish. Because the trees bear fruit during the monsoon
season, the berries are associated with the concurrent Krishna Janmashtami festival.
It is called timur or timbur in Nepal, Darjeeling and Sikkim and is used widely to make a tingling dip, especially for boiled food like potatoes and yams.
of some Lepidoptera
species including The Engrailed
.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of about 250 species of deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
and evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s and shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s in the citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
or rue
Rue
Rue is a genus of strongly scented evergreen subshrubs 20–60 cm tall, in the family Rutaceae, native to the Mediterranean region, Macaronesia and southwest Asia. There are perhaps 8 to 40 species in the genus...
family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
, Rutaceae
Rutaceae
Rutaceae, commonly known as the rue or citrus family, is a family of flowering plants, usually placed in the order Sapindales.Species of the family generally have flowers that divide into four or five parts, usually with strong scents...
, native to warm temperate
Temperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
and subtropical
Subtropics
The subtropics are the geographical and climatical zone of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropical zone, which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, at latitudes 23.5°N and 23.5°S...
areas worldwide. Common names include Prickly-ash and Hercules' Club.
The fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
of several species are used to make the spice
Spice
A spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, bark, or vegetative substance used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as a food additive for flavor, color, or as a preservative that kills harmful bacteria or prevents their growth. It may be used to flavour a dish or to hide other flavours...
Sichuan pepper
Sichuan Pepper
Sichuan pepper is the outer pod of the tiny fruit of a number of species in the genus Zanthoxylum , widely grown and consumed in Asia as a spice. Despite the name, it is not related to black pepper or to chili peppers...
. They are also used as bonsai
Bonsai
is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers. Similar practices exist in other cultures, including the Chinese tradition of penjing from which the art originated, and the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese hòn non bộ...
trees. Historically, the bark was widely used for toothache, colic, and rheumatism.
Selected species
- Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC. – Andaliman
- Zanthoxylum ailanthoidesZanthoxylum ailanthoidesZanthoxylum ailanthoides, also known as the Japanese Prickly-ash, is the food plant of the larvae of Papilio bianor, Papilio helenus, Papilio protenor, and Papilio xuthus....
Siebold & Zucc. – Japanese Prickly-ash - Zanthoxylum alatum Roxb.William RoxburghWilliam Roxburgh was a Scottish surgeon and botanist. He has been called the Father of Indian Botany.-Early life:Roxburgh was born at Underwood in the parish of Craigie, Ayrshire. He studied medicine in Edinburgh...
– Winged Prickly-ash - Zanthoxylum albuquerqueiZanthoxylum albuquerqueiZanthoxylum albuquerquei is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is endemic to Peru.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
D.R.Simpson (PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
) - Zanthoxylum americanumZanthoxylum americanumZanthoxylum americanum, the Common Prickly-ash, Common Pricklyash, Common Prickly Ash or Northern Prickly-ash , is an aromatic shrub or small tree native to central and eastern portions of the United States and Canada...
Mill.Philip MillerPhilip Miller FRS was a Scottish botanist.Miller was chief gardener at the Chelsea Physic Garden from 1722 until he was pressured to retire shortly before his death...
– Toothache Tree, Northern Prickly-ash (EasternEastern United StatesThe Eastern United States, the American East, or simply the East is traditionally defined as the states east of the Mississippi River. The first two tiers of states west of the Mississippi have traditionally been considered part of the West, but can be included in the East today; usually in...
and Central United StatesCentral United StatesThe Central United States is sometimes conceived as between the Eastern United States and Western United States as part of a three-region model, roughly coincident with the Midwestern United States plus the western and central portions of the Southern United States; the term is also sometimes used...
) - Zanthoxylum atchoumZanthoxylum atchoumZanthoxylum atchoum is a forest tree in the Rutaceae family that grows in Côte d'Ivoire's Eastern Guinean forests. It is endemic to Côte d'Ivoire where it is threatened by habitat loss. Waterman assigned Z...
(Aké Assi) Waterman (Côte d'IvoireCôte d'IvoireThe Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
) - Zanthoxylum beecheyanum
- Zanthoxylum belizenseZanthoxylum belizenseZanthoxylum belizense is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.-References:* Nelson, C. 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
Lundell (Central AmericaCentral AmericaCentral America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
) - Zanthoxylum bifoliolatum Leonard – Maricao Prickly-ash
- Zanthoxylum brachyacanthumZanthoxylum brachyacanthumZanthoxylum brachyacanthum, known as the Thorny Yellowwood or Satinwood, is an Australian rainforest tree. The natural range is from the Clarence River in New South Wales to Eungella National Park in tropical Queensland....
F.Muell.Ferdinand von MuellerBaron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, KCMG was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist.-Early life:...
– Thorny Yellowwood (AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) - Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim.
- Zanthoxylum buesgenii
- Zanthoxylum capense (Thunb.) Harv.
- Zanthoxylum caribaeum Lam. – Yellow Prickly-ash
- Zanthoxylum chevalieriZanthoxylum chevalieriZanthoxylum chevalieri is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is endemic to Ghana. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:* Hawthorne, W. 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
Waterman (GhanaGhanaGhana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
) - Zanthoxylum clava-herculisZanthoxylum clava-herculisZanthoxylum clava-herculis, the Hercules' Club , pepperwood, or Southern prickly ash, is a spiny tree or shrub native to the southeastern United States. It grows to 10-17 m tall and has distinctive spined thick, corky lumps 2-3 cm long on the bark...
L. – Hercules' Club, Southern Prickly-ash (southeastern United StatesSoutheastern United StatesThe Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
) - Zanthoxylum coco GilliesJohn GilliesJohn Gillies was a Scottish historian and classical scholar.-Life:He was born at Brechin, in Forfarshire and was educated at the University of Glasgow, where, at the age of twenty, he acted for a short time as substitute for the professor of Greek. He lived for a while in Germany and returned in...
ex Hook.William Jackson HookerSir William Jackson Hooker, FRS was an English systematic botanist and organiser. He held the post of Regius Professor of Botany at Glasgow University, and was the first Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. He enjoyed the friendship and support of Sir Joseph Banks for his exploring,...
& Arn. – Coco, Smelly Sauco (ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, BoliviaBoliviaBolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
) - Zanthoxylum coreanum Nakai – Korean Lime Tree
- Zanthoxylum coriaceum – Biscayne Prickly-ash
- Zanthoxylum davyi Waterman
- Zanthoxylum delagoenseZanthoxylum delagoenseZanthoxylum delagoense is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is endemic to Mozambique.-References:* Bandeira, S. 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
Waterman (MozambiqueMozambiqueMozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
) - Zanthoxylum deremenseZanthoxylum deremenseZanthoxylum deremense is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is found in Malawi and Tanzania.-Source:* Lovett, J. & Clarke, G.P. 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
(Engl.) Kokwaro (MalawiMalawiThe Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
, TanzaniaTanzaniaThe United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
) - Zanthoxylum dipetalumZanthoxylum dipetalumZanthoxylum dipetalum is a rare species of tree in the citrus family known by the common name kawa'u. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it grows in forests on 3 or 4 of the islands.There are two varieties....
H.Mann – Kāwau (HawaiiHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
) - Zanthoxylum fagaraZanthoxylum fagaraZanthoxylum fagara is a species of flowering plant in the citrus family, Rutaceae that is native to southern Florida and Texas in the United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America as far south as Paraguay...
(L.) Sarg.Charles Sprague SargentCharles Sprague Sargent was an American botanist. He was the first director of the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts and the standard botanical author abbreviation Sarg. is applied to plants he described.-Biography:Sargent was the second son of Henrietta and...
– Lime Prickly-ash (Neotropics) - Zanthoxylum ferrugineumZanthoxylum ferrugineumZanthoxylum ferrugineum is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.-References:* Nelson, C. 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
J.D.Smith (Central America) - Zanthoxylum flavumZanthoxylum flavumZanthoxylum flavum is a medium-sized tree in the citrus family, Rutaceae. Common names include Noyer,West Indian Satinwood, Yellow Sanders, Tembetaria, and Yellow Sandalwood...
VahlMartin VahlMartin Henrichsen Vahl was a Danish-Norwegian botanist and zoologist.He studied botany in Copenhagen and in Uppsala under Carolus Linnaeus. He edited Flora Danica fasc. XVI-XXI , Symbolæ Botanicæ I-III , Eclogæ Americanæ I-IV and Enumeratio Plantarum I-II...
– West Indian Satinwood (CaribbeanCaribbeanThe Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
) - Zanthoxylum gentleiZanthoxylum gentleiZanthoxylum gentlei is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is found in Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras.-References:* Nelson, C. 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
Lundell (BelizeBelizeBelize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
, GuatemalaGuatemalaGuatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, HondurasHondurasHonduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
) - Zanthoxylum harrisiiZanthoxylum harrisiiZanthoxylum harrisii is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is endemic to Jamaica. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* Kelly, D.L. 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
P.Wilson ex Britton (JamaicaJamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
) - Zanthoxylum hartiiZanthoxylum hartiiZanthoxylum hartii is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is endemic to Jamaica.-Source:* Kelly, D.L. 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
(Krug & Urb.Ignatz UrbanIgnatz Urban was a German botanist. He is known for his contributions to the flora of the Caribbean and Brazil, and for his work as curator of the Berlin Botanical Garden. Born the son of a brewer, Urban showed an interest in botany as an undergraduate...
) P.Wilson (Jamaica) - Zanthoxylum hawaiienseZanthoxylum hawaiienseZanthoxylum hawaiiense, commonly known Ae or Hawaii pricklyash, is a species of flowering plant in the citrus family, Rutaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It can be found at elevations of in dry forests, where it grows on lava flows, and mixed mesic forests on the Island of Hawaii, Maui, Molokai,...
Hillebr.William HillebrandWilliam Hillebrand was a German physician. He traveled the world, including over 20 years in the Hawaiian islands. In 1850, Hillebrand lived at what is now Foster Botanical Garden in Honolulu. He also became known as a botanist.-Life and career:...
– Ae, Hawaii Prickly-ash (Hawaii) - Zanthoxylum heterophyllumZanthoxylum heterophyllumZanthoxylum heterophyllum is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is found in Mauritius and Réunion. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* Page, W. 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
(Lam.) Smith (MauritiusMauritiusMauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, RéunionRéunionRéunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
) - Zanthoxylum hirsutum Buckley – Texas Hercules' Club
- Zanthoxylum holtzianumZanthoxylum holtzianumZanthoxylum holtzianum is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is endemic to Tanzania.-Source:* Lovett, J. & Clarke, G.P. 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
(Engl.) Waterm. (Tanzania) - Zanthoxylum humile Waterm.
- Zanthoxylum hyemale A.St.-Hil.Augustin Saint-HilaireAugustin François César Prouvençal de Saint-Hilaire , French botanist and traveler, was born at Orléans, France, on 4 October 1779. He began to publish memoirs on botanical subjects at an early age...
- Zanthoxylum integrifoliolumZanthoxylum integrifoliolumZanthoxylum integrifoliolum is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is found in the Philippines and Taiwan.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
(Merr.Elmer Drew MerrillElmer Drew Merrill was an American botanist, specializing in the flora of the Asia-Pacific region.He was born in East Auburn, Maine, and attended the University of Maine where he received a B.S. in 1898...
) Merr. (The PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
) - Zanthoxylum kauaenseZanthoxylum kauaenseZanthoxylum kauaense, commonly known as Ae or Kauai Prickly-ash, is a species of flowering plant in the citrus family, Rutaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It usually inhabits mixed mesic forests at elevations of , but can also be found in dry and wet forests. It is threatened by habitat loss....
A.GrayAsa Gray-References:*Asa Gray. Dictionary of American Biography. American Council of Learned Societies, 1928–1936.*Asa Gray. Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed. 17 Vols. Gale Research, 1998.*Asa Gray. Plant Sciences. 4 vols. Macmillan Reference USA, 2001....
– Ae, Kauai Prickly-ash (Hawaii) - Zanthoxylum leprieurii Guill. & Perr.
- Zanthoxylum limonella Alston – Makaen
- Zanthoxylum lindenseZanthoxylum lindenseZanthoxylum lindense is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is endemic to Tanzania.-Source:* Lovett, J. & Clarke, G.P. 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
(Engl.) Kokwaro (Tanzania) - Zanthoxylum martinicense (Lam.) DC. – White Prickly-ash
- Zanthoxylum monophyllum (Lam.) P.Wilson – Yellow Prickle
- Zanthoxylum nadeaudiiZanthoxylum nadeaudiiZanthoxylum nadeaudii is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is endemic to French Polynesia.-Source:* Florence, J. 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
DrakeEmmanuel Drake del CastilloEmmanuel Drake del Castillo was a French botanist.He was born at Paris and studied with Louis Édouard Bureau at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle...
(French PolynesiaFrench PolynesiaFrench Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
) - Zanthoxylum negrilenseZanthoxylum negrilenseZanthoxylum negrilense is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is endemic to Jamaica.-References:* Kelly, D.L. 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
Fawc.William Fawcett (botanist)William Fawcett was a British botanist and coauthor of the Flora of Jamaica.Fawcett was Director of Public Gardens and Plantations in Jamaica from 1887 to 1908...
& RendleAlfred Barton RendleAlfred Barton Rendle FRS was an English botanist.Rendle was born in Lewisham and studied at St John's College, Cambridge...
(Jamaica) - Zanthoxylum nitidum (Roxb.) DC. – Shining Prickly-ash
- Zanthoxylum oahuenseZanthoxylum oahuenseZanthoxylum oahuense, commonly known as Ae or Oahu Prickly-ash, is a species of flowering plant in the citrus family, Rutaceae, that is endemic to the island of Oahu in Hawaii. It is a small tree, reaching a height of . Ae inhabits mixed mesic and wet forests at elevations of . It is threatened by...
Hillebr. – Ae, Oahu Prickly-ash (Island of OahuOahuOahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
in Hawaii) - Zanthoxylum ocumarense (Pittier) Steyerm.
- Zanthoxylum ovatifoliolatum Finkelstein
- Zanthoxylum naranjillo Griseb. – Naranjillo
- Zanthoxylum panamenseZanthoxylum panamenseZanthoxylum panamense is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is found in Costa Rica, Honduras, and Panama.-References:* Nelson, C. 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
P.Wilson (Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama) - Zanthoxylum parvumZanthoxylum parvumZanthoxylum parvum is nested within the family Rutaceae. It is native to the mountains of Trans-Pecos Texas in Brewster and Jeff Davis counties.-Alternative names:Zanthoxylum parvum is also known as Skinners' tickletongue and small prickly-ash....
Shinners – Tickletongue - Zanthoxylum pinnatum
- Zanthoxylum piperitum (L.) DC. – Japanese Pepper Tree, Japan Pepper, Sanshō
- Zanthoxylum planispinumZanthoxylum planispinumZanthoxylum planispinum is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is an aromatic, deciduous, spiny shrub growing to 3.5 meters in height, endemic to China, Japan, and Korea.-References:* *...
Siebold & Zucc. – Bamboo-leaf Prickly-ash - Zanthoxylum procerumZanthoxylum procerumZanthoxylum procerum is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.-References:* Nelson, C. 1998. . Downloaded on 24 August 2007....
DonnJames DonnJames Donn was an English botanist. He was Curator of the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens, Cambridge, from 1790 until his death. His most important work was Hortus Cantabrigensis, first published in 1796 but with several later, much expanded, editions.A grandson was the English composer...
Sm.James Edward SmithSir James Edward Smith was an English botanist and founder of the Linnean Society.Smith was born in Norwich in 1759, the son of a wealthy wool merchant. He displayed a precocious interest in the natural world...
(Central America) - Zanthoxylum psammophilumZanthoxylum psammophilumZanthoxylum psammophilum is a species of shrub or small tree in the Rutaceae family. It is a large liana endemic to Côte d'Ivoire, although in 2005 it was found in Liberia as well...
(Aké Assi) Waterman (Côte d'Ivoire) - Zanthoxylum punctatum Vahl – Dotted Prickly-ash
- Zanthoxylum rhetsa (Roxb.) DC. – Chirphal, Teppal, Tirphal, Indian Pepper
- Zanthoxylum rhoifolium Lam.
- Zanthoxylum schinifolium Siebold & Zucc. – Mastic-leaved Prickly-ash
- Zanthoxylum simulansZanthoxylum simulansZanthoxylum simulans , is a flowering plant in the family Rutaceae, native to eastern China and Taiwan. It is one of several species of Zanthoxylum from which Sichuan pepper is produced .It is a spreading shrub or small tree growing to 7 m tall...
Hance – Chinese Prickly-ash, Sichuan pepperSichuan PepperSichuan pepper is the outer pod of the tiny fruit of a number of species in the genus Zanthoxylum , widely grown and consumed in Asia as a spice. Despite the name, it is not related to black pepper or to chili peppers...
(Eastern ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Taiwan) - Zanthoxylum spinifex (Jacq.) DC. – Niaragato
- Zanthoxylum thomasianumZanthoxylum thomasianumZanthoxylum thomasianum, also known as the St. Thomas Prickly-ash, is a species of plant in the Rutaceae family. It is found in Puerto Rico, the British Virgin Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. Its natural habitats are tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests and shrublands. It...
(Krug & Urb.) P.Wilson – St. Thomas Prickly-ash (Puerto RicoPuerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, British Virgin IslandsBritish Virgin IslandsThe Virgin Islands, often called the British Virgin Islands , is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union, located in the Caribbean to the east of Puerto Rico. The islands make up part of the Virgin Islands archipelago, the remaining islands constituting the U.S...
, United States Virgin IslandsUnited States Virgin IslandsThe Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
) - Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloidesZanthoxylum zanthoxyloidesZanthoxylum zanthoxyloides, the Senegal prickly-ash or artar root, is a plant species in the genus Zanthoxylum.Burkinabin C, a a type of hydrolysable tannin can be found in the root bark of F. zanthoxyloides....
(Lam.) Zepern. & Timler, 1981; Senegal pricky-ash
Formerly placed here
- Eleutherococcus trifoliatus (L.) S.Y.Hu (as Z. trifoliatum L.)
- Melicope lunu-ankenda (Gaertn.) T.G.Hartley (as Z. roxburghianum Cham.)
- Melicope pteleifolia (Champ. ex Benth.) T.G.Hartley (as Z. pteleifolium Champ. ex Benth.)
Taxonomy
The generic name is derived from GreekGreek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
words ξανθὸς (xanthos), meaning "yellow," and ξύλον (xylon), meaning "wood." It refers to a yellow dye made from the roots of some species. The Takhtajan system
Takhtajan system
A system of plant taxonomy, the Takhtajan system of plant classification was published by Armen Takhtajan, in several versions from the 1950s onwards. It is usually compared to the Cronquist system. Key publications:-External links:* Takhtajan system at...
places the genus in the subfamily
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Rutoideae, tribe
Tribe (biology)
In biology, a tribe is a taxonomic rank between family and genus. It is sometimes subdivided into subtribes.Some examples include the tribes: Canini, Acalypheae, Hominini, Bombini, and Antidesmeae.-See also:* Biological classification* Rank...
Zanthoxyleae, while Germplasm Resources Information Network
Germplasm Resources Information Network
Germplasm Resources Information Network or GRIN is an online software project of National Genetic Resources Program of USDA to provide germplasm information about plants, animals, microbes and invertebrates.-Sub-Projects:...
places it in the subfamily Toddalioideae and does not assign it to a tribe. The once separate genus Fagara is now included in Zanthoxylum.
Uses
Many Zanthoxylum species make excellent bonsaiBonsai
is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers. Similar practices exist in other cultures, including the Chinese tradition of penjing from which the art originated, and the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese hòn non bộ...
and in temperate climates they can be grown quite well indoors. Zanthoxylum beecheyanum and Zanthoxylum piperitum are two species commonly grown as bonsai.
Culinary use
SpiceSpice
A spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, bark, or vegetative substance used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as a food additive for flavor, color, or as a preservative that kills harmful bacteria or prevents their growth. It may be used to flavour a dish or to hide other flavours...
s are made from a number of species in this genus, especially Zanthoxylum piperitum, Z. simulans
Zanthoxylum simulans
Zanthoxylum simulans , is a flowering plant in the family Rutaceae, native to eastern China and Taiwan. It is one of several species of Zanthoxylum from which Sichuan pepper is produced .It is a spreading shrub or small tree growing to 7 m tall...
, Z. bungeanum, Z. schinifolium Z. nitidum, Z. rhetsa, Z. alatum, and Z. acanthopodium. Sichuan pepper
Sichuan Pepper
Sichuan pepper is the outer pod of the tiny fruit of a number of species in the genus Zanthoxylum , widely grown and consumed in Asia as a spice. Despite the name, it is not related to black pepper or to chili peppers...
is most often made by grinding the husks that surround Z. piperitum berries. In the states of Maharashtra
Maharashtrian cuisine
Maharashtrian cuisine is cuisine of the Marathi people, those from the state of Maharashtra in India. Maharashtrian cuisine covers a range from being mild to very spicy dishes. Wheat, rice, jowar, bajri, vegetables, lentils and fruit form important components of Maharashtrian diet...
, Karnataka
Cuisine of Karnataka
The cuisine of Karnataka includes many vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisines. The varieties reflect influences from and to the food habits of many regions and communities from the three neighbouring South Indian states, as well as the state of Maharashtra to its north...
, and Goa
Goan cuisine
Goan cuisine consists of regional foods popular in Goa, located along India's west coast along the Arabian Sea. Seafood, coconut milk, rice and paste are main ingredients of Goan delicacies. The area is located in a tropical climate, and spices and flavors are intense. Use of Kokum is another...
in Western India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, the berries of Z. rhetsa are sun-dried
Dried fruit
Dried fruit is fruit where the majority of the original water content has been removed either naturally, through sun drying, or through the use of specialized dryers or dehydrators. Dried fruit has a long tradition of use dating back to the fourth millennium BC in Mesopotamia, and is prized...
and added to foods such as legumes and fish. Because the trees bear fruit during the monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
season, the berries are associated with the concurrent Krishna Janmashtami festival.
It is called timur or timbur in Nepal, Darjeeling and Sikkim and is used widely to make a tingling dip, especially for boiled food like potatoes and yams.
Ecology
Zanthoxylum species are used as food plants by the larvaeCaterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
of some Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
species including The Engrailed
Engrailed
The Engrailed and Small Engrailed are moths of the family Geometridae. They are distributed across most of Europe. There is an on-going debate as to whether they make up one species, or whether E. crepuscularia actually refers only to the Small Engrailed, with the Engrailed proper being separable...
.