Zanthoxylum nitidum

Family: Rutaceae

What it is like

A shrub or scrambling vine. There are hooked thorns on the stems. Plants are separately male and female. The leaves are compound and alternate. Leaves are spiny underneath and also have small hairs. There are 5-9 leaflets and they are 5-10 cm long by 2-5 cm wide. A group of flowers occur in the axils of leaves or at the ends of branches. The flowers have 4 petals. They are cream, yellow or pink. They are 2 mm long. The fruit is a red follicle. It is 4-7 mm long and wide and has one seed. The seed is black and 4-5 mm long.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in rainforest. It grows between sea level and 500 m altitude in tropical Queensland. In Sikkim it grows between 1,000-2,000 m above sea level. In XTBG Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Ryukyu, SE Asia, Sikkim, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The leaves and seeds are used for flavouring and drinks. They are used in chutney. The roots are also cooked with chicken and eaten.

Edible parts

Spice, fruit, leaves - flavouring

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Baghanchora, Honyor, Leuer, Parpartimur, Purpuray timur, Rau sung, Ri'kom, Singite, Sung, Tejmoi, Tejmuri, Tezamul, Tezmuri, Timur, Trong

Synonyms

Fagara nitida Roxb.; Fagara torva (F. v. Mueller) Engler; Zanthoxylum hirtellum Ridley; Zanthoxylum hamiltonianum Wall. ex Hook.f.; Zanthoxylum torvum F. Muell.;