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Japanese PepperπΏ
Zanthoxylum piperitum
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A native Japanese deciduous shrub used as a traditional spice in various forms throughout the year: young leaves (kinome) in spring, flower buds (hana-zansho), and berries (mi-zansho). The distinctive tingling, numbing pungency comes from sanshool (hydroxy-alpha-sanshool). It is essential in Japanese cuisine, particularly with grilled eel (kabayaki) and tsukudani (simmered preserves).
Identification Points
- βPinnately compound leaves with translucent oil glands (pellucid dots) along the leaflet margins
- βPaired thorns on the branches
- βDioecious; small yellow-green flowers bloom in spring
- βFruit is red and globose, exposing black seeds when mature
- βBoth leaves and fruits have a strong aroma
Habitat
Sunny slopes, forest edges, and garden trees in mountains and fields
Season
AprilβMay (young leaves/flowering), JulyβAugust (berry harvest)
Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Evergreen/Deciduous
Deciduous
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf type
Compound
Venation
Pinnate
Petal fusion
Fused
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic
Aromatic
Aromatic
Phylogenetic Positionγγ«γ³η§ β
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Eudicots > Core eudicots > Sapindales > Rutaceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous to Paleogene (ca. 85β70 million years ago)
Evolution Notes
Within Rutaceae, the genus Zanthoxylum is widely distributed with approximately 250 species worldwide. The high concentration of essential oils evolved as an insect deterrent.
View on evolution timeline βSources & References
AI-generated, needs verification