Bio Diversity Park

Common Name : Nepal pepper or prickly ash

Hindi Name : तुम्बरू | Scientific Name : Zanthoxylum armatum
Family : Rutaceae
Uses : It possesses several medicinal properties and has been commonly used in different indigenous medicinal practices to cure several diseases because of its stomachic, carminative and anthelmintic properties. The seeds and barks are used as aromatic, carminative, tonic in fever, dyspepsia. Fruits are used for toothache, dyspepsia, as a carminative and for stomachache. Fruits are used as condiment and flavoring agent. The aromatic bark is used as a fish poison and insect repellant. An odoriferous oil known as 'Nartara oil', obtained on steam distillation of dried fruits, is used in perfume industry. In Northeast India leaves of this plant are used for making chutney. The twigs are used as tooth brush and as a walking stick. The plant is very often grown as a hedge plant.
Native: Indian Subcontinent to Temp. E. Asia and Malesia
General Description:

Zanthoxylum armatum is a small aromatic tree or large shrub up to 6 m high with incurved reddish brown prickles; bark grey-brownish, scabrate. Leaves compound, imparipinnate, ca. 20 cm long; rachis glabrous or rust-colored pubescent; petiolules ca. 2-4 mm long; lamina ca. 3-8 x 1-3 cm, ovate-lanceolate or elliptic to oblong, oblique at base, acuminate at apex, glandular-crenate along margins, chartaceous, glabrous; secondary nerves 5-20 pairs, inarching near margins. Cymes terminal on short lateral branchlets, ca. 4-10 cm long, paniculate, pubescent; Male flowers ca. 0.5 mm long, pubescent; perianth uni- or irregularly biseriate, segments 6-8, ca. 1 mm long, yellowish, ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, glabrous; stamens 6-8, exserted; filaments ca. 1.5-2.5 mm long; anthers ca. 1 mm long, yellowish or reddish-purple, ovoid-oblong; disk ca. 0.5 mm long, pulvinate; Female flowers: pedicels ca. 2 mm long; ovary 1-3 or sometimes 4-carpellate, ca. 1.5 mm long, each carpel ovoid-subglobose, glandular-punctate; style ca. 0.5 mm long; stigma capitate; fruiting pedicels ca. 1-3 mm long. Follicles 1-3 with 2, 1 or 0 caducous abortive carpels, ovoid-subglobose, apiculate with persistent stylar base, 3-4 mm, postular. Seeds ca. 3 mm across, black, ovoid, smooth.