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Zanthoxylum coco

Zanthoxylum coco

Gill
Coco

Family: Rutaceae
Order: Sapindales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Phylum / Division: Magnoliophyta
Kingdom: Plantae

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Other common names: Sauco Hediondo.

Synonyms: Fagara coco.





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Description


Zanthoxylum coco (also known as Fagara coco) is an evergreen tree of the family Rutaceae, native to Argentina and Bolivia where it grows in the wild, mostly in spiniferous forests of the low mountain ranges of the western Chaco. It is characteristic of the hill forest of the Sierras Pampeanas.

 The coco, also cochucho or smelly sauco, is usually found either in isolated groups or standing alone, from a small to medium-sized tree, ranging from 6 to 8 metres in height. The foliage is abundant, evergreen with imparipinnate leaves that present paired spines presumably in the place of leaflets. Punctations, in pairs, on the leaflets are quite distinctive. Leaves have serrated margins and pinnate venation. Flowers have five petals and are arranged in paniculate inflorescences. The fruit is spherically shaped, dehiscent; containing a shiny blackish seed.
The whole plant has a characteristic unpleasant smell, hence the alternative name "smelly sauco".

Biochemistry: Even though unused in the general botanical pharmacopeia, Zanthoxylum coco tissues are very rich in alkaloids. γ-Fagarine, N-methylisocorydine, skimminianine, α-fagarine, fagarine-2, magnoflorine, nitidine, chelerythrine, berberine, palmatine and candicine have been isolated from the foliage and wood.

Taxon synonym usage: The coco belongs to the genus Zanthoxylum. However, most local scientific articles use Fagara as the genus name.

Source: Wikipedia, article Zanthoxylum coco. Content adapted from Wikipedia, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Accessed on 17/07/2026.





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Foto
Photography ID: 536553
  Adult

Tanti
Córdoba
Argentina
09/14/2014
Aluminé Sangorrín
Foto
Photography ID: 536552
  Adult

Tanti
Córdoba
Argentina
05/12/2014
Aluminé Sangorrín



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Page 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
177188814/09/2014ArgentinaCórdobaReserva Natural Privada Cascada Los Chorrillos, TantiAluminé Sangorrín
177188712/05/2014ArgentinaCórdobaReserva Natural Privada Cascada Los Chorrillos, TantiAluminé Sangorrín
Page 1

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Recommended citation
Please use the following reference when citing this species account.
EcoRegistros. 2026. Zanthoxylum coco – Species account. Accessed from www.ecoregistros.org on 15/09/2026.