Genus XANTHOXYLUM, Linn. 



Xanthoxylacese. Dioecia Tri-Pentandria. 



Si/st. Nat. Syit. Lin. 



Synonymes. 



Xanthoxylum, Zanthoxylnm, Of Authors. 



Clavalier, France. 



Zahnwehholz, Germanv. 



Santossilo, Italy. 



Toothache-tree, Britain and Anglo-Akerica. 



Derivations. The word Xanthoxylum is derived from the Greek xanthos, yellow, and xulon, wood, from the yellowness 

 3f the wood, more especially of the roots. The French name means Club-tree, and the German one. Toothache-tree. 



Generic Characters. Sepals 5 or more, petaloid, with a minute glandular beard at the apex. Petals none. 

 Ovaries as many as sepals, and opposite to them. Styles terminating in clavate stigmas, which are 

 at first connate. Colden, Planta. 



p^^^^iS^^^ANTHOXYLUM is a genus belonging to the same natural family 

 ^V^X^^^^^ ^s the Ptelea and Ailantus. There are at least two species indi- 

 ^'i%l*ijr^^ genous to North America, the Xanthoxylum fraxineum and tricar- 

 ^fe'^^lS^^ V^^'^^ 3.nd several varieties, some of which are much valued for 

 ^y^^ j^ j ^^a^ their medicinal qualities. The Xanthoxylum clava herculis, of 

 i^c^'^l^^o^^ the West Indies, is esteemed as a good timber-tree, and an infu- 

 sion of its leaves, as well as of those of the Xanthoxylum fraxineum, is used to 

 cure the toothache. Mr. Royle, in his excellent work entitled " Illustrations of 

 the Botany and other Branches of Natural History of the Himalayan Mountains, 

 and of the Flora of Cashmere," mentions two species, the Xanthoxylum hostile 

 and alatum. Several other trees of this genus are enumerated in Loudon's 

 " Hortus Britannicus," as natives of China and Japan, but they are not consid- 

 ered as very ornamental. All the species may be propagated by ripened cut- 

 tings of the branches or of the roots. 



