Zanthoxylum simulans

Zanthoxylum simulans
Habitus of leafless plant
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Zanthoxylum
Species: Z. simulans
Binomial name
Zanthoxylum simulans
Hance
Synonyms

Zanthoxylum bungeanum
Zanthoxylum bungei

Zanthoxylum simulans (Chinese Prickly-ash or Flatspine Prickly-ash), 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 (see that page for uses).

It is a spreading shrub or small tree growing to 7 m tall. The leaves are 7-12.5 cm long, pinnate, with 7-11 leaflets, the leaflets 3–5 cm long and 1.5–2 cm broad. There are numerous short (3–6 mm) spines on both the stems and the leaf petioles, and large (several cm) knobs on the branches. The flowers are produced in slender cymes, each flower about 4–5 mm diameter. The 3–4 mm berry has a rough reddish brown shell that splits open to release the black seeds from inside.

Aroma profile

Notes and references

Zanthoxylum Bungeanum seed oil http://www.goodoils.com/english/pricky_ash_oil.htm

  1. ^ Chyau, Charng-Cherng et al.; Mau, Jeng-Leun; Wu, Chung-May (1996). "Characteristics of the Steam-Distilled Oil and Carbon Dioxide Extract of Zanthoxylum simulans Fruits". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 44 (4): 1096–1099. doi:10.1021/jf950577d.