Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 4, 2026

Putterlickia

Putterlickia, variously called spikethorns, false spike thorns, mock spike thorns and bastard spike thorns, are a genus of flowering plants in the staff vine and bittersweet family Celastraceae, native to South Africa, Eswatini and Mozambique. Endophytic bacteria in their roots produce maytansine.

Last revised
Jul 4, 2026
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Putterlickia
Putterlickia pyracantha
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Celastrales
Family: Celastraceae
Tribe: Celastreae
Genus: Putterlickia
Endl.1
Species

See text

Putterlickia, variously called spikethorns, false spike thorns, mock spike thorns and bastard spike thorns, are a genus of flowering plants in the staff vine and bittersweet family Celastraceae, native to South Africa, Eswatini and Mozambique. Endophytic bacteria in their roots produce maytansine.23

Species

Five species are accepted:4

  • Putterlickia neglecta Jordaan, R.G.C.Boon & A.E.van Wyk
  • Putterlickia pyracantha (L.) Szyszyl.
  • Putterlickia retrospinosa A.E.van Wyk & Mostert
  • Putterlickia saxatilis (Burch.) Jordaan
  • Putterlickia verrucosa (E.Mey. ex Harv. & Sond.) Sim
References

References

  1. Gen. Pl.: 1086 (1840)
  2. Jacobowitz, Joseph R.; Weng, Jing-Ke (2020). "Exploring Uncharted Territories of Plant Specialized Metabolism in the Postgenomic Era". Annual Review of Plant Biology. 71: 631–658. doi:10.1146/annurev-arplant-081519-035634. PMID 32176525.
  3. Kubitzki, Klaus (11 November 2013). The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants: Flowering Plants. Dicotyledons: Celastrales, Oxalidales, Rosales, Cornales, Ericales. Vol. VI. Springer. p. 52. ISBN 9783662072578.
  4. "Putterlickia Endl". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 1 April 2026.