234 Species of Genus Zanthoxylum

Zanthoxylum: A Prickly Passion of Mine

The world of plants is vast and diverse, filled with wonders that never cease to amaze me. As a botany enthusiast, I’m always on the lookout for fascinating genera, and one that has particularly captured my attention is Zanthoxylum. This genus, belonging to the Rutaceae family, is a treasure trove of unique and intriguing species. Let’s dive into the world of Zanthoxylum and explore what makes it so special.

A Global Citizen

Zanthoxylum is a truly global citizen, with species found in warm temperate and subtropical regions worldwide. From the Americas to Asia, Africa, and Australia, these plants have adapted to a variety of environments. This wide distribution has led to a remarkable diversity within the genus, with over 200 recognized species.

Prickly Personalities

One of the most distinctive features of Zanthoxylum is the presence of prickles or spines on their bark and branches. These sharp defenses serve as a deterrent to herbivores, protecting the plants from being eaten. The prickles can vary in size and shape depending on the species, adding to the visual interest of these plants.

Aromatic Adventures

Zanthoxylum plants are not just prickly; they’re also known for their aromatic qualities. Many species contain aromatic oils in their leaves, fruits, and bark. These oils often have a citrusy or peppery scent, which can be quite pungent in some cases. This aromatic nature has led to the use of various Zanthoxylum species in traditional medicine and culinary practices around the world.

A Diverse Family

The genus Zanthoxylum encompasses a wide array of plant forms, from shrubs to trees. Some species are deciduous, shedding their leaves seasonally, while others are evergreen, retaining their foliage year-round. This diversity in growth habits and leaf characteristics contributes to the overall appeal of Zanthoxylum.

Species List

1. Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC.
2. Zanthoxylum aculeatissimum Engl.
3. Zanthoxylum acuminatum (Sw.) Sw.
4. Zanthoxylum ailanthoides Siebold & Zucc.
5. Zanthoxylum albiflorum Baker f.
6. Zanthoxylum albuquerquei D.R.Simpson
7. Zanthoxylum amamiense Ohwi
8. Zanthoxylum amapaense (Albuq.) P.G.Waterman
9. Zanthoxylum americanum Mill.
10. Zanthoxylum amplicalyx Reynel
11. Zanthoxylum anadenium (Urb. & Ekman) J.Jiménez Alm.
12. Zanthoxylum andamanicum Kurz
13. Zanthoxylum andinum Reynel
14. Zanthoxylum anison L.O.Williams
15. Zanthoxylum anthyllidifolium Guillaumin
16. Zanthoxylum apiculatum (Sandwith) P.G.Waterman
17. Zanthoxylum arborescens Rose
18. Zanthoxylum armatum DC.
19. Zanthoxylum asiaticum (L.) Appelhans, Groppo & J.Wen
20. Zanthoxylum atchoum (Aké Assi) P.G.Waterman
21. Zanthoxylum austrosinense C.C.Huang
22. Zanthoxylum avicennae (Lam.) DC.
23. Zanthoxylum backeri (Bakh.f.) T.G.Hartley
24. Zanthoxylum bajarnandia Wall. ex Hook.f.
25. Zanthoxylum beecheyanum K.Koch
26. Zanthoxylum bifoliolatum Leonard
27. Zanthoxylum bissei Beurton
28. Zanthoxylum bonifaziae Cornejo & Reynel
29. Zanthoxylum bouetense (Pierre ex Letouzey) P.G.Waterman
30. Zanthoxylum brachyacanthum F.Muell.
31. Zanthoxylum brisasanum (Cuatrec.) P.G.Waterman
32. Zanthoxylum brisoferox Reynel
33. Zanthoxylum buesgenii (Engl.) P.G.Waterman
34. Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim.
35. Zanthoxylum burkillianum Babu
36. Zanthoxylum calcicola C.C.Huang
37. Zanthoxylum campicola Reynel
38. Zanthoxylum canalense (Guillaumin) P.G.Waterman
39. Zanthoxylum capense (Thunb.) Harv.
40. Zanthoxylum caribaeum Lam.
41. Zanthoxylum caudatum Alston
42. Zanthoxylum celebicum Koord.
43. Zanthoxylum chalybeum Engl.
44. Zanthoxylum chevalieri P.G.Waterman
45. Zanthoxylum chocoense Reynel
46. Zanthoxylum chuquisaquense Reynel
47. Zanthoxylum ciliatum Engl.
48. Zanthoxylum claessensii (De Wild.) P.G.Waterman
49. Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
50. Zanthoxylum coco Gillies ex Hook. & Arn.
51. Zanthoxylum collinsiae Craib
52. Zanthoxylum comosum (Herzog) P.G.Waterman
53. Zanthoxylum compactum (Huber ex Albuq.) P.G.Waterman
54. Zanthoxylum complexum Reynel
55. Zanthoxylum conspersipunctatum Merr. & L.M.Perry
56. Zanthoxylum cucullatipetalum Guillaumin
57. Zanthoxylum davyi (I.Verd.) P.G.Waterman
58. Zanthoxylum decaryi H.Perrier
59. Zanthoxylum delagoense P.G.Waterman
60. Zanthoxylum deremense (Engl.) Kokwaro
61. Zanthoxylum dimorphophyllum Hemsl.
62. Zanthoxylum dinklagei (Engl.) P.G.Waterman
63. Zanthoxylum dipetalum H.Mann
64. Zanthoxylum dissitum Hemsl.
65. Zanthoxylum djalma-batistae (Albuq.) P.G.Waterman
66. Zanthoxylum domingense (Krug & Urb.) J.Jiménez Alm.
67. Zanthoxylum dumosum A.Rich.
68. Zanthoxylum echinocarpum Hemsl.
69. Zanthoxylum ekmanii (Urb.) Alain
70. Zanthoxylum eliasii D.M.Porter
71. Zanthoxylum esquirolii H.Lév.
72. Zanthoxylum fagara (L.) Sarg.
73. Zanthoxylum fauriei (Nakai) Ohwi
74. Zanthoxylum finlaysonianum Wall.
75. Zanthoxylum flavum Vahl
76. Zanthoxylum foliolosum Donn.Sm.
77. Zanthoxylum forbesii T.G.Hartley
78. Zanthoxylum formiciferum (Cuatrec.) P.G.Waterman
79. Zanthoxylum gardneri Engl.
80. Zanthoxylum gentryi Reynel
81. Zanthoxylum gillespieanum (A.C.Sm.) A.C.Sm.
82. Zanthoxylum gilletii (De Wild.) P.G.Waterman
83. Zanthoxylum glomeratum C.C.Huang
84. Zanthoxylum grandifolium Tul.
85. Zanthoxylum haitiense (Urb.) J.Jiménez Alm.
86. Zanthoxylum hamadryadicum Pirani
87. Zanthoxylum harrisii P.Wilson
88. Zanthoxylum hartii (Krug & Urb.) P.Wilson
89. Zanthoxylum hawaiiense Hillebr.
90. Zanthoxylum heitzii (Aubrév. & Pellegr.) P.G.Waterman
91. Zanthoxylum heterophyllum (Lam.) Sm.
92. Zanthoxylum holtzianum (Engl.) P.G.Waterman
93. Zanthoxylum huangianum Z.H.Chen & Feng Chen
94. Zanthoxylum huberi P.G.Waterman
95. Zanthoxylum humile (E.A.Bruce) P.G.Waterman
96. Zanthoxylum impressinervium Reynel
97. Zanthoxylum impressocordatum Reynel
98. Zanthoxylum integrifoliolum (Merr.) Merr.
99. Zanthoxylum integrum Aver.
100. Zanthoxylum iwahigense Elmer
101. Zanthoxylum jamaicense P.Wilson
102. Zanthoxylum kallunkiae Reynel
103. Zanthoxylum kauaense A.Gray
104. Zanthoxylum khasianum Hook.f.
105. Zanthoxylum kleinii (R.S.Cowan) P.G.Waterman
106. Zanthoxylum kwangsiense (Hand.-Mazz.) Chun ex C.C.Huang
107. Zanthoxylum laetum Drake
108. Zanthoxylum laurentii (De Wild.) P.G.Waterman
109. Zanthoxylum leiboicum C.C.Huang
110. Zanthoxylum lemairei (De Wild.) P.G.Waterman
111. Zanthoxylum lenticellosum (Urb. & Ekman) J.Jiménez Alm.
112. Zanthoxylum lenticulare Reynel
113. Zanthoxylum lepidopteriphilum Reynel
114. Zanthoxylum leprieurii Guill. & Perr.
115. Zanthoxylum leratii Guillaumin
116. Zanthoxylum liboense C.C.Huang
117. Zanthoxylum limoncello Planch. & Oerst.
118. Zanthoxylum lindense (Engl.) Kokwaro
119. Zanthoxylum macranthum (Hand.-Mazz.) C.C.Huang
120. Zanthoxylum madagascariense Baker
121. Zanthoxylum magnifasciculatum Reynel
122. Zanthoxylum magnifructum Reynel
123. Zanthoxylum mananarense H.Perrier
124. Zanthoxylum mantaro (J.F.Macbr.) J.F.Macbr.
125. Zanthoxylum maranionense Reynel
126. Zanthoxylum martinicense (Lam.) DC.
127. Zanthoxylum mauriifolium Reynel
128. Zanthoxylum mayu Bertero
129. Zanthoxylum megistophyllum (B.L.Burtt) T.G.Hartley
130. Zanthoxylum melanostictum Schltdl. & Cham.
131. Zanthoxylum mezoneurispinosum (Aké Assi) W.D.Hawth.
132. Zanthoxylum micranthum Hemsl.
133. Zanthoxylum mildbraedii (Engl.) P.G.Waterman
134. Zanthoxylum minahassae Koord.
135. Zanthoxylum molle Rehder
136. Zanthoxylum mollissimum (Engl.) P.Wilson
137. Zanthoxylum monogynum A.St.-Hil.
138. Zanthoxylum motuoense C.C.Huang
139. Zanthoxylum multijugum Franch.
140. Zanthoxylum myriacanthum Wall. ex Hook.f.
141. Zanthoxylum myrianthum (A.C.Sm.) P.G.Waterman
142. Zanthoxylum nadeaudii Drake
143. Zanthoxylum nashii P.Wilson
144. Zanthoxylum nebuletorum (Herzog) P.G.Waterman
145. Zanthoxylum nemorale Mart.
146. Zanthoxylum neocaledonicum Baker f.
147. Zanthoxylum nigrum Mart.
148. Zanthoxylum nitidum (Roxb.) DC.
149. Zanthoxylum novoguineense T.G.Hartley
150. Zanthoxylum oahuense Hillebr.
151. Zanthoxylum oreophilum (Guillaumin) P.G.Waterman
152. Zanthoxylum ovalifolium Wight
153. Zanthoxylum ovatifoliolatum (Engl.) Finkelstein
154. Zanthoxylum oxyphyllum Edgew.
155. Zanthoxylum palustre Londoño-Ech. & Reynel
156. Zanthoxylum panamense P.Wilson
157. Zanthoxylum pancheri P.S.Green
158. Zanthoxylum paniculatum Balf.f.
159. Zanthoxylum paracanthum (Mildbr.) Kokwaro
160. Zanthoxylum paulae (Albuq.) P.G.Waterman
161. Zanthoxylum pentandrum (Aubl.) R.A.Howard
162. Zanthoxylum petenense Lundell
163. Zanthoxylum petiolare A.St.-Hil. & Tul.
164. Zanthoxylum phyllopterum (Griseb.) C.Wright
165. Zanthoxylum piasezkii Maxim.
166. Zanthoxylum pilosiusculum (Engl.) P.G.Waterman
167. Zanthoxylum pilosulum Rehder & E.H.Wilson
168. Zanthoxylum pimpinelloides (Lam.) DC.
169. Zanthoxylum pinnatum (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) W.R.B.Oliv.
170. Zanthoxylum piperitum (L.) DC.
171. Zanthoxylum pluviatile T.G.Hartley
172. Zanthoxylum pluvimontanum Reynel & D.Tarazona
173. Zanthoxylum poggei (Engl.) P.G.Waterman
174. Zanthoxylum psammophilum (Aké Assi) P.G.Waterman
175. Zanthoxylum pseudoxyphyllum Babu
176. Zanthoxylum pteracanthum Rehder & E.H.Wilson
177. Zanthoxylum pucro D.M Porter
178. Zanthoxylum punctatum Vahl
179. Zanthoxylum quassiifolium (Donn.Sm.) Standl. & Steyerm.
180. Zanthoxylum quinduense Tul.
181. Zanthoxylum renieri (G.C.C.Gilbert) P.G.Waterman
182. Zanthoxylum retroflexum T.G.Hartley
183. Zanthoxylum retusum (Albuq.) P.G.Waterman
184. Zanthoxylum rhetsa (Roxb.) DC.
185. Zanthoxylum rhodoxylon (Urb.) P.Wilson
186. Zanthoxylum rhoifolium Lam.
187. Zanthoxylum rhombifoliolatum C.C.Huang
188. Zanthoxylum riedelianum Engl.
189. Zanthoxylum rigidum Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
190. Zanthoxylum rubescens Planch. ex Hook.
191. Zanthoxylum sambucirhachis Reynel
192. Zanthoxylum sarasinii Guillaumin
193. Zanthoxylum scandens Blume
194. Zanthoxylum schinifolium Siebold & Zucc.
195. Zanthoxylum schlechteri Guillaumin
196. Zanthoxylum schreberi (J.F.Gmel.) Reynel ex C.Nelson
197. Zanthoxylum setulosum P.Wilson
198. Zanthoxylum simulans Hance
199. Zanthoxylum spinosum (Sw.) Sw.
200. Zanthoxylum sprucei Engl.
201. Zanthoxylum stelligerum Turcz.
202. Zanthoxylum stenophyllum Hemsl.
203. Zanthoxylum subspicatum H.Perrier
204. Zanthoxylum syncarpum (Tul.) Tul. ex B.D.Jacks.
205. Zanthoxylum taediosum A.Rich.
206. Zanthoxylum tambopatense Reynel
207. Zanthoxylum tenuipedicellatum (Kokwaro) Vollesen
208. Zanthoxylum tetraphyllum (Urb. & Ekman) J.Jiménez Alm.
209. Zanthoxylum tetraspermum Wight & Arn.
210. Zanthoxylum thomense (Engl.) A.Chev. ex P.G.Waterman
211. Zanthoxylum thorncroftii (I.Verd.) P.G.Waterman
212. Zanthoxylum thouvenotii H.Perrier
213. Zanthoxylum tidorense Miq.
214. Zanthoxylum timoriense Span.
215. Zanthoxylum tingana Reynel
216. Zanthoxylum tingoassuiba A.St.-Hil.
217. Zanthoxylum tomentellum Hook.f.
218. Zanthoxylum tragodes (L.) DC.
219. Zanthoxylum trijugum (Dunkley) P.G.Waterman
220. Zanthoxylum tsihanimposa H.Perrier
221. Zanthoxylum undulatifolium Hemsl.
222. Zanthoxylum unifoliolatum Groppo & Pirani
223. Zanthoxylum usambarense (Engl.) Kokwaro
224. Zanthoxylum usitatum Pierre ex Laness.
225. Zanthoxylum venosum Leonard
226. Zanthoxylum verrucosum (Cuatrec.) P.G.Waterman
227. Zanthoxylum vinkii T.G.Hartley
228. Zanthoxylum viride (A.Chev.) P.G.Waterman
229. Zanthoxylum vitiense A.C.Sm.
230. Zanthoxylum wutaiense I.S.Chen
231. Zanthoxylum xichouense C.C.Huang
232. Zanthoxylum yakumontanum (Sugim.) Nagam.
233. Zanthoxylum yuanjiangensis C.C.Huang
234. Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides (Lam.) Zepern. & Timler

More Than Just Prickles

While the prickles might be the most noticeable feature of Zanthoxylum, these plants offer much more than just sharp defenses. Their aromatic oils, diverse growth habits, and ecological roles make them a fascinating subject of study. Whether you’re a botanist, a gardener, or simply a nature enthusiast, Zanthoxylum is a genus worth exploring.