Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 19, 2026

Zanthoxylum davyi

Zanthoxylum davyi, the forest knobwood, is a dioecious species of plant in the family Rutaceae. It is native to the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces of South Africa, western Eswatini and eastern Zimbabwe. It occurs in coastal and mistbelt forests, and grows some 10 to 24 m tall.

Last revised
Jun 19, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
179 w
Citations
4
Source
Forest knobwood
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Zanthoxylum
Species:
Z. davyi
Binomial name
Zanthoxylum davyi
(I.Verd.) Waterm.
Synonyms
  • Fagara davyi I.Verd.
  • Zanthoxylum thunbergii DC.
  • Zanthoxylum thunbergii var. grandifolia Harv.

Zanthoxylum davyi, the forest knobwood, is a dioecious species of plant in the family Rutaceae. It is native to the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces of South Africa, western Eswatini and eastern Zimbabwe. It occurs in coastal and mistbelt forests, and grows some 10 to 24 m tall.1

Bole and bark

Their sturdy, straight trunks are heavily armed with hornlike knobs.1

Foliage and flowers

The compound leaves are 5 to 30 cm long.1

Species interactions and uses

Birds eat the fruit.1

Similar species

Similar species are the smaller Z. capense which occurs in mostly dryer inland regions, and Z. leprieurii which is native to sand forests of subtropical lowlands.

References

References

  1. Pooley, Elsa (2006). Forest plants in the forest and in the garden. Pinetown: The flora publications trust. p. 47. ISBN 0-620-37012-2.