prickly ash
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A type of tree or shrub: "Prickly ash" refers to any of several trees or shrubs belonging to the genus Zanthoxylum, characterized by having branches with spines or thorns.
- A specific Australian tree: It can also refer specifically to a tree native to Australia, noted for its leaves which are simple in mature form but can be pinnate (with leaflets arranged on either side of a stem) and have prickly-toothed edges when young, and which produces slender clusters of white flowers.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The forest understory was dense with prickly ash, making hiking difficult.
- Native Americans historically used the bark of the northern prickly ash for medicinal purposes.
- The prickly ash is not a true ash tree but is named for its similar-looking leaves.
Advanced Usage
- "Toothache tree": A common name for some species of prickly ash, as the bark was traditionally chewed to relieve toothache pain.
- Because of its numbing effect, the prickly ash is often called the toothache tree.
Variants and Related Words
- Zanthoxylum (n): The botanical genus name for prickly ash and related plants like Szechuan pepper.
- Hercules'-club or Toothache Tree (n): Common names for specific species of , such as .
Synonyms
- Zanthoxylum: The scientific genus name.
- Toothache tree: A descriptive synonym highlighting one traditional use.
Notes on Different Meanings
- The term "prickly ash" is primarily a botanical/common name and does not have idiomatic or phrasal verb uses. Its meaning is consistently tied to the specific group of spiny plants in the genus . It should not be confused with true ash trees (genus ).
Noun
- Australian tree having alternate simple leaves (when young they are pinnate with prickly toothed margins) and slender axillary spikes of white flowers
- any of a number of trees or shrubs of the genus Zanthoxylum having spiny branches