About Zanthoxylum clava-herculis subsp. fruticosum (A.Gray) Reynel
Zanthoxylum clava-herculis subsp. fruticosum (A.Gray) Reynel is a tree that reaches 10–17 meters in height. Its bark has distinctive thick, spined, corky lumps that are 2–3 cm long. The leaves are glabrous, leathery, and pinnately compound; they measure 20–30 cm long, and hold 7 to 19 leaflets, each of which is 4–5 cm long. This species has dioecious flowers, arranged in panicles up to 20 cm long. Individual flowers are small, 6–8 mm in diameter, and have 3 to 5 white petals. The fruit is a two-valved capsule 6 mm in diameter, with a rough surface, that contains several small black seeds. This taxon has also been previously named Z. macrophyllum, and the genus name is sometimes spelled Xanthoxylum. Along with the related species Zanthoxylum americanum, it is commonly called "toothache tree" or "tingle tongue". This name comes from the fact that chewing its leaves, bark, or twigs causes a tingling numbness in the mouth, tongue, teeth, and gums. Native Americans and early European settlers used this plant medicinally to treat toothache for this effect.
