The genus Putterlickia is in the family Celastraceae in the major group Angiosperms.

Putterlickia verrucosa commonly known as Wildegranaat, Baster-bospendoring or Bos-valspendoring in Afrikaans and False Forest Spike-thorn or Mock Forest Spike-thorn in English is a South African indigenous species from the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga Provinces. It is synonymously known as Celastrus verrucosus. Putterlickia verrucosa grows into a slender shrub of up to 3 meters tall. It has purple-brown stems with conspicuous lenticels and long spines. It has clustered leaves. During spring it bears small white flowers in heads which are followed by decorative orange fruits.