Wild Lime, Satin Wood, Prickly Ash.

Rutaceae

Zanthoxylum fagara grows as a large shrub to small tree up to 10 meters in height. The branches typically have hooked spines below the leaves. The oddly pinnate leaves are arranged alternately with 5-9 leaflets with wings along the rachis. The leaflets are sessile, to 2 cm in length, ovate to elliptic with a crenate leaf margin and an emarginate leaf apex. The leaflets produce a citrus odor when crushed.

The dioecious actinomorphic flowers are arranged in panicles of racemes. The calyx has 4 green unfused sepals. The corolla has 4 unfused yellowish petals. In staminate flowers there are 4 unfused stamens and a non-functional ovary. In carpellate flowers there are no stamens and a pair of unfused superior ovaries each with a single locule. The fruit is a capsule at maturity with a single shiny black seed.

Zanthoxylum fagara grows in Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation- Shrublands (coppice/scrublands) particularly those that have been disturbed by humans.

Zanthoxylum fagara occurs on all island groups in the Bahamian Archipelago as well as the southern United States, the Caribbean region, and Mexico and Central America

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage

Zanthoxylum fagara is used medicinally for general strengthening teas.

Zanthoxylum fagara has also been used in the horticultural trade as well as a sought after wood for cabinetry.