Japanese Prickly Ash

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Japanese Prickly Ash

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Fagara boninshimae
• Fagara ailanthoides
• Zanthoxylum ailanthoides var. boninshimae
• Fagara ailanthoides var. inermis
• Zanthoxylum ailanthoides f. espinosum
• Fagara hemsleyana
• Zanthoxylum ailanthoides f. inerme
• Fagara emarginella
• Zanthoxylum ailanthoides f. pubescens
• Zanthoxylum ailanthoides var. inerme
• Zanthoxylum emarginellum
• Zanthoxylum hemsleyanum
• Fagara ailanthoides var. pubescens

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is categorized within the order Sapindales and the family Rutaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Zanthoxylum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is widely distributed across several key regions within Eastern Asia. In China, its presence is noted throughout the South-Central and Southeast territories. The species also extends its range to the island nation of Japan. Furthermore, it can be found growing naturally across the Korean Peninsula. Finally, its geographical footprint includes the Kazan-retto region of Eastern Asia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Zanthoxylum ailanthoides is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish a stable presence in its native habitat. Throughout its developmental stages, the species maintains an evergreen habit, retaining its foliage year-round rather than undergoing a seasonal shedding of leaves. This continuous vegetative presence supports its long-term survival and ability to engage in reproductive cycles over several years.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Zanthoxylum ailanthoides is characterized by its growth form as a tree, which reaches an average plant height of approximately 18 m. As a woody species, it possesses a robust structural framework typical of arborescent plants. In terms of its climbing habit, the plant is classified as self-supporting, meaning it does not rely on other structures as an obligatory or facultative climber, but rather maintains its own upright stature through its woody development.

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

tree

Plant height mean:

18 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Zanthoxylum ailanthoides is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, utilizing the standard Calvin cycle to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide through the enzyme RuBisCO. This metabolic strategy dictates its carbon assimilation efficiency and water-use patterns, which are typical of many woody perennial species in its family. Additionally, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, and instead relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil to satisfy its nutritional requirements.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Zanthoxylum ailanthoides is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically relying on insects to facilitate the transfer of pollen. The plant exhibits a reproductive strategy where self-fertilization is absent, necessitating cross-pollination to ensure genetic diversity. The resulting fruits are fleshy in nature, housing seeds that are highly uniform in size; the seed volume remains consistent with a minimum, maximum, and mean value of 8.9 mm³.

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed volume max:

8.9 mm³

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Zanthoxylum ailanthoides has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include stem.

Stem

1. Journal of natural products

Chemicals

Zanthoxylum ailanthoides has 8 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include (+)-Episesamin, (-)-Hinokinin, Ailanthamide, Ailanthoidol, Decarine.

(+)-Episesamin

1. Journal of natural products

(-)-Hinokinin

1. Journal of natural products

Ailanthamide

1. Journal of natural products

Ailanthoidol

1. Oncology reports

Decarine

1. Journal of natural products

Evofolin B

1. Journal of natural products

N-(4-methoxyphenethyl)-N-methylbenzamide

1. Journal of natural products

Xanthyletin

1. Journal of natural products

Activities

Zanthoxylum ailanthoides has 2 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Chemopreventive.

Antioxidant

1. Oncology reports

Chemopreventive

1. Oncology reports

Preparations