Zanthoxylum obscurum Engl.

Zanthoxylum microcarpum Griseb. Fl. Brit. W. Ind. 138. 1859
Fagara microcarpa Krug & Urban ; Urban, Bot. Jahrb. 21 : 570. 1896.
A tree, sometimes attaining a height of 13 m., the bark prickly, the twigs, petioles and rachis yellowish or brownish, stellate-canescent, unarmed or rarely bearing few, brownish prickles; leaves equally pinnate or odd-pinnate, 1.2-2.8 dm. long; leaflets 11-20, rarely 30, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 2.5-9 cm. long, 1-2.5 cm. broad, rarely 11 cm. long and 3.5 cm. broad, acute, acuminate or sometimes rounded at the apex, acute or somewhat rounded at the base, more or less inequilateral, green, lustrous and sparsely stellate-canescent above, paler and stellate-canescent, especially on the midrib and veins, beneath, the margin serrate-crenate, the pellucid glands scattered, numerous ; petioles and rachis grooved, often rather stout ; panicles terminal, 1-1.5 dm. long ; pistillate flowers : calyx 1-1.3 mm. broad, the sepals 5, triangular or somewhat triangular-ovate, 0.2-0.3 mm. long ; petals 5, ovate to elliptic-ovate, 1.5-2 mm. long, 0.7-1 mm. broad, acuminate, the apex obtuse; gynoecium 2or 3-carpellary ; styles short, sometimes apparently wanting ; follicles solitary or two, subglobose, 4-5 mm. in diameter, with prominent, elevated verrucose glands; seeds orbicularreniform, compressed, 2.5-3 mm. broad, black, shining.
Type locality: Dominica.
Distribution : Guadeloupe to St. Vincent ; Costa Rica ; also in Trinidad and Brazil.