"Ken Blake" > wrote
>
> I never heard of "Bunge Prickly Ash" before, but Google quickly
> found the following site
> http://forums.egullet.com/lofiversio...29130-150.html
> which seems to say they are the same, Zanthoxylum bungeanum.

Yes, I had seen that discussion and noted that a reference or two had at
least implicitly made the equation. But then another quote is provided that
"szechuan peppercorn" is Z. piperitum, and another that it is Z. simulans
synonymous to Z. bungei. It seems confusing :-)

> Also see he
>
http://www-ang.kfunigraz.ac.at/~katz...?Zant_pip.html

This is an interesting reference, and increases the confusion ... several
related plants from the region (as Wazaa points out in his followup), with
similar traits spicewise.

For what it's worth, the "Bunge Prickly Ash" I got is somewhat less red than
the picture on the upper right at this site, labelled "Z. piperitum (or Z
simulans?) Chinese sichuan pepper", though closer to that than any of the
others shown.

Well, I guess I'll just have to try a few recipes, maybe make some 5 spice
powder.