Zanthoxylum clava-herculis

Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens only. View county names by placing the mouse cursor over a particular county.

Family:	RUTACEAE
Species:	Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
Common Name:	Southern Prickly Ash; Hercules' Club; Pepper Bark
Habitat:	**
Associated Ecological Communities:	**
Growth Habit:	Tree
Duration:	Perennial
Category:	Vascular
USDA Symbol:	ZACL
Plant Notes:	Toothache Tree is a native deciduous tree in the Citrus family (Rutaceae). It is found primarily in the Black Belt region of Central Alabama, and along the coast. Toothache Tree occurs along fence rows, around cave, and on shell mounds. It is almost always found on calcareous soils. Toothache Tree is a small to medium tree reaching heights of 30-40 feet. The bark is thin, smooth, and gray in color. It has numerous corky spine-tipped pyramidal warts. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, and pinnately compound with 7-9 leaflets. The leaflets are elliptic to lanceolate in outline with toothed margins. The rachis of the leaf may be armed with spines. Flowers are produced in terminal racemes. Individual flowers are small and yellow green in color. They have 5 small petals. Toothache Tree is dioecious (having male and female flowers on separate trees). The fruit is a follicle that splits open to reveal a shiny black seed. Chewing small strips of bark or leaves will numb the mouth and has been used as a home remedy for toothache. Extracts of the plant show some promise as an anti-biotic. Toothache Tree leaves are the larval food plant for the Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes). Toothache Tree is sometimes available from nurseries specializing in native or medicinal plants. It prefers a well-draining soil in full sun. Plants should be placed away from walkways or other areas where people might accidently grab the spiny trunk.--A. Diamond
Taxonomic Notes:	**
Status:	Native, FAC (NWI)
References:	**
Specimen:	View specimen details in the Alabama Herbarium Consortium Specimen Database

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

Family	RUTACEAE - Citrus/Rue family
Genus	Zanthoxylum
Species	Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus - Southern Prickly Ash; Hercules' Club; Pepper Bark

Citation

Citation	ZANTHOXYLUM CLAVA-HERCULIS Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 270. 1753.
Basionym:	**
Type:	TYPE: Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus Lectotypified by Rehder, J. Arnold Arbor. 26: 72. 1945.

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

Synonym	Full Citation	Basionym	Type
Fagara caroliniana	Fagara caroliniana (Lamarck) Engler, in Engler & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 3(4): 117. 1896.	Zanthoxylum carolinianum Lamarck 1786.
Fagara clava-herculis	Fagara clava-herculis (Linnaeus) Small, Fl. S.E. U.S. 675, 1333. 1903.	Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus 1753.
Fagara fraxinifolia	Fagara fraxinifolia Lamarck, Tabl. Encycl. 1: 334. 1792.	Zanthoxylum fraxinifolium Walter 1788, non Marshall 1785.
Kampmania fraxinifolia	Kampmania fraxinifolia (Lamarck) Rafinesque, Med. Repos., ser. 2. 5: 352. 1808.	Fagara fraxinifolia Lamarck 1791; Zanthoxylum fraxinifolium Walter 1788, non Marshall 1785.
Pseudopetalon glandulosum	Pseudopetalon glandulosum Rafinesque, Fl. Ludov. 108. 1817.		LOUISIANA
Zanthoxylum aromaticum	Zanthoxylum aromaticum Willdenow, Sp. Pl. 4: 755. 1806.
Zanthoxylum carolinianum	Zanthoxylum carolinianum Lamarck, Encycl. 2: 39. 1786.		SOUTH CAROLINA:
Zanthoxylum fraxinifolium	Zanthoxylum fraxinifolium Walter, Fl. Carol. 243. 1788, non Marshall 1785.		SOUTH CAROLINA:
Zanthoxylum glandulosum	Zanthoxylum glandulosum (Rafinesque) Rafinesque, Med. Fl. 2: 116. 1830.	Pseudopetalon glandulosum Rafinesque 1817.
Zanthoxylum lanceolatum	Zanthoxylum lanceolatum Poiret, in Lamarck, Encycl., Suppl. 2: 293. 1811.		PUERTO RICO
Zanthoxylum macrophyllum	Zanthoxylum macrophyllum Nuttall, N. Amer. Sylv. 3: 10. 1849.
Zanthoxylum tricarpum	Zanthoxylum tricarpum Michaux, Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 233. 1803.	Zanthoxylum fraxinifolium Walter 1788, non Marshall 1785.

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Baldwin, Butler, Choctaw, Colbert, Conecuh, Dale, Dallas, Escambia, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Marengo, Mobile, Montgomery, Pickens, Sumter

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: AUA, JSU, SAMF, TROY, UNA, USAM, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: -

Barcode / Accession No.	County	Coll. Date	Collector & Collection No.	Herbarium & Herbarium Name Used
UWAL0003980	Hale	01 May 2010	Keener, Brian R. 5931	UWAL Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
52804	Mobile	7 MAY 1991	DIAMOND, JR., ALVIN R. 7364	AUA ZANTHOXYLUM CLAVA-HERCULIS L.
TROY000040772	Dallas	18 Jun 2011	Brian R. Keener 6518	TROY Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
TROY000034078	Dale	15 Jun 2011	Jason Chesser s.n.	TROY Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
JSU132874	Mobile	3 Jun 1970	R. Kral 39633	JSU Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
USAM000014119	Mobile	27 Oct 1973	Michael G. LeLong 7398.1	USAM Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
UNA00022887	Greene	9 May 1969	Joab L. Thomas 2055	UNA Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L. var. fruticosum (Gray) S. Wats.
UNA00022877	Mobile	22 Apr 1950	Lloyd C. Crawford 957	UNA Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
UNA00060082	Mobile	_ May _	Charles Mohr s.n.	UNA Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
TROY000034428	Hale	01 May 2010	Brian R. Keener 5931	TROY Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
UWAL0016413	Montgomery	06 Jul 2014	Diamond, Alvin R. 25286	UWAL Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
61828	Choctaw	15 JUL 1995	CROUCH, VIRGINIA E. 1445	AUA ZANTHOXYLUM CLAVA-HERCULIS L.
UNA00067096	Hale	15 Jul 2007	Brian R. Keener 3763	UNA Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
USAM000014114	Baldwin	08 Jul 1967	Michael G. LeLong 4117	USAM Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
JSU132873	Mobile	17 May 1974	Kenneth E. Landers RDW-2649	JSU Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
UWAL0002953	Lowndes	20 May 2010	Keener, Brian R. 6008	UWAL Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
TROY000034114	Lowndes	20 May 2010	Brian R. Keener 6008	TROY Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
44955	Conecuh	26 JUL 1986	DIAMOND, JR., ALVIN R. 2652	AUA ZANTHOXYLUM CLAVA-HERCULIS L.
JSU132870	Baldwin	15 Oct 1982	R. D. Whetstone 12843	JSU Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
UWAL0003983	Marengo	02 May 2008	England, J. Kevin 0771	UWAL Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
72014	Lowndes	19 JUN 2009	SCHOTZ, ALFRED 2137	AUA ZANTHOXYLUM CLAVA-HERCULIS L.
JSU140406	Colbert	07 Oct 1972	Kenneth E. Landers s.n.	JSU Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
UNA00022888	Sumter	11 Jun 1969	Joab L. Thomas 2208	UNA Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L. var. fruticosum (Gray) S. Wats.
UWAL0004917	Montgomery	22 May 2011	Diamond, A.R. 22154	UWAL Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
UNA00069231	Marengo	2 May 2008	Kevin England 771	UNA Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
UNA00022883	Baldwin	20 Apr 1879	Charles Mohr s.n.	UNA Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
TROY000032303	Greene	08 Aug 2009	Brian R. Keener 5554	TROY Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
SAMF0003384	Lowndes	20 May 2010	Keener, Brian R. 6008	SAMF Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
61380	Choctaw	31 MAR 1995	CROUCH, VIRGINIA E. 1343	AUA ZANTHOXYLUM CLAVA-HERCULIS L.
UNA00060496	Mobile	25 Dec 2002	Tad M. Zebryk 8172	UNA Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
TROY000039691	Montgomery	06 Jul 2014	Alvin R. Diamond 25286	TROY Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
TROY000028354	Butler	20 May 2009	Alvin R. Diamond 20729	TROY Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
JSU132875	Mobile	17 May 1974	Kenneth E. Landers s.n.	JSU Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
UWAL0003984	Sumter	03 May 1999	Stundon, T. B-173	UWAL Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
USAM000014118	Pickens	02 Aug 1967	Ross C. Clark 17203	USAM Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
UWAL0003982	Lowndes	01 Jun 2007	Diamond, A.R. 17682	UWAL Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
UNA00022885	Mobile	10 Apr 1965	Rebecca Deramus D387	UNA Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
UWAL0003986	Sumter	06 Oct 1993	Stanton, Lee B-094	UWAL Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
AUA000032658	Escambia	25 Jun 2010	HANSEN, CURTIS J. 4830	AUA ZANTHOXYLUM CLAVA-HERCULIS L.
USAM000014120	Mobile	27 Oct 1973	Michael G. LeLong 7398.2	USAM Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
TROY000023305	Marengo	02 May 2008	J. Kevin England 771	TROY Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
UNA00022876	Mobile	8 Apr 1950	Lloyd C. Crawford 854	UNA Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
TROY000023492	Hale	15 Jul 2007	Brian R. Keener 3763	TROY Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
TROY000023306	Conecuh	19 Jul 2008	Alvin R. Diamond 19571	TROY Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
UWAL0012083	Dallas	18 Jun 2011	Keener, Brian R. 6518	UWAL Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
TROY000032991	Butler	10 Jun 2011	Alvin R. Diamond 22235	TROY Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
13877	Dallas	4 JUL 1969	ORR, HENRY	AUA ZANTHOXYLUM CLAVA-HERCULIS L.
19235	Marengo	19 JUL 1969	MOORE, HAROLD D. 300-69	AUA ZANTHOXYLUM CLAVA-HERCULIS L.
TROY000008818	Lowndes	01 Jun 2007	Alvin R. Diamond 17682	TROY Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
UWAL0003978	Butler	20 May 2009	Diamond, A.R. 20729	UWAL Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
JSU132872	Colbert	7 Oct 1972	Kenneth E. Landers s.n.	JSU Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
JSU132869	Baldwin	27 Sep 1985	T. L. Shaddix 042	JSU Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
USAM000014117	Mobile	15 Nov 1977	T. Daugherty s.n.	USAM Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
UWAL0003979	Greene	08 Aug 2009	Keener, Brian R. 5554	UWAL Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
UNA00022890	Mobile	9 May 1964	Rebecca Deramus D65	UNA Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
UWAL0003985	Sumter	06 Oct 1993	Stanton, Lee B-095	UWAL Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
UNA00067213	Lowndes	1 Jun 2007	Alvin R. Diamond 17682	UNA Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
USAM000014113	Mobile	07 Aug 1981	Michael G. LeLong 12225	USAM Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
UWAL0004974	Butler	10 Jun 2011	Diamond, A.R. 22235	UWAL Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
UNA00037026		s.d.	Dr. T. Denny s.n.	UNA Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
UNA00022880	Mobile	6 May 1876	Charles Mohr s.n.	UNA Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
UWAL0003981	Hale	15 Jul 2007	Keener, Brian R. 3763	UWAL Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
60697	Mobile	AUG 1963	DAVIS, DONALD E.	AUA ZANTHOXYLUM CLAVA-HERCULIS L.
UNA00022881	Baldwin	18 Mar 1950	W. A. Stallard 21	UNA Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L.
70470	Greene	8 AUG 2009	KEENER, BRIAN R. 5554	AUA ZANTHOXYLUM CLAVA-HERCULIS L.
TROY000032873	Montgomery	22 May 2011	Alvin R. Diamond 22154	TROY Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus
JSU132871	Colbert	7 Oct 1972	Kenneth E. Landers s.n.	JSU Zanthoxylum clava-herculis Linnaeus

View a List of All Ecological Communities

For more information, contact: Brian R. Keener, Ph.D.

Data last modified: 8/21/2019

Web Development: The Florida Center for Community Design + Research

A member of the University of South Florida family of PlantAtlas.org sites

Citation Information:

Keener, B. R., A.R. Diamond, L. J. Davenport, P. G. Davison, S. L. Ginzbarg, C. J. Hansen, C. S. Major, D. D. Spaulding, J. K. Triplett, and M. Woods. 2019. Alabama Plant Atlas. [S.M. Landry and K.N. Campbell (original application development), Florida Center for Community Design and Research. University of South Florida]. University of West Alabama, Livingston, Alabama.

Data, text, and images licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Zanthoxylum clava-herculis

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Classification

Citation

Synonyms

Specimens and Distribution