Lime Pricklyash
EN

Lime Pricklyash

Zanthoxylum fagara

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanthoxylum_fagara

Overview

Zanthoxylum fagara or wild lime, is a species of flowering plant that—despite its name—is not part of the genus Citrus with real limes and other fruit, but is a close cousin in the larger citrus family, Rutaceae. It is more closely related to Sichuan pepper. It is native to southern Florida and Texas in the United States, and to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America as far south as Paraguay.

Common names include: lime prickly-ash, wild lime, colima, uña de gato, and corriosa.

Lime Pricklyash faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat loss from urban development and agricultural expansion throughout its native range in the southeastern United States, Caribbean, and Central America. Coastal development and land conversion for agriculture have fragmented and destroyed much of its natural habitat, while climate change poses additional stress through altered precipitation patterns and increased storm intensity.

Threat summary

Other threatened species in Rutaceae

Zanthoxylum ekmaniiCR

Zanthoxylum ekmanii

Unknown
CR

Ayua dumosa

Zanthoxylum dumosum

Unknown
CR

Zanthoxylum bissei

Unknown
CR

Glycosmis crassifolia

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Lime Pricklyash classified as Endangered?
Lime Pricklyash is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. Lime Pricklyash faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat loss from urban development and agricultural expansion throughout its native range in the southeastern United States, Caribbean, and Central America. Coastal development and land conversion for agriculture have fragmented and destroyed much of its natural habitat, while climate change poses additional stress through altered precipitation patterns and increased storm intensity.
Where does Lime Pricklyash live?
Lime Pricklyash occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Lime Pricklyash?
The main threats to Lime Pricklyash are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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