Zanthoxylum rhoifolium

Lam.

Dark prickly ash

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Summary

Zanthoxylum rhoifolium is a species of tree in the family Rutaceae. It is known by the common names mamica de cadela, tambataru, and prickly ash. It is native to Central and South America. It is a common tree on the Cerrado.

Description

A tropical deciduous small tree in the Rutaceae family growing to 12 m tall that requires sunny locations.

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Medicinal Uses

This is a medicinal plant. The bark is used to treat toothache and earache. It is used as an anti-inflammatory. It is used to treat malaria. Parts of the plant also have antibacterial and fungicidal action.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,000 m above sea level. It needs to be a sunny areas.

Where It Grows

Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, South America*, Suriname, Trinidad, Uruguay, Venezuela,

Cultivation

Grows best in a sunny position. Grows well on nutrient-depleted soils. Established plants are drought tolerant. The plant responds well to coppicing and can survive forest fires by resprouting from the roots. A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if seed is required.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a lightly shaded position in a nursery seedbed or individual containers. Germination rates are usually low with the seeds sprouting after about 30 - 60 days.

Other Uses

The pale greenish-yellow wood is lustrous; odourless, but with a slightly bitter taste; straight-grained; medium-textured; of medium weight. It is light in weight, hard, flexible, not durable when exposed to the weather or wet soils. It is inclined to be splintery and saws woolly, easy to work, takes a smooth finish. It is used in construction, cabinet making, general carpentry, making tool handles, cart bodies, oars etc. Zanthoxylum rhoifolium is a natural pioneer species. It is a common shrub that invades open ground in Amazonia, often being found in abandoned pasture where it grows quickly and provides suitable conditions for the establishment of other rainforest trees and shrubs.

Notes

It is used in medicine.

Also Known As

Mamica de cadela, Tamtataru

References (1)

Grandtner, M. M., 2008, World Dictionary of Trees. Wood and Forest Science Department. Laval University, Quebec, Qc Canada. (Internet database http://www.wdt.qc.ca)