# Ziziphus

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{{Short description|Genus of shrubsand trees}}
{{Automatic taxobox
|image = Zizyphus zizyphus Ypey54.jpg
|image_caption = ''[Ziziphus jujuba](/source/Ziziphus_jujuba)'', by [Adolphus Ypey](/source/Adolphus_Ypey)
|taxon = Ziziphus
|authority = [Mill.](/source/Philip_Miller) (1754)
|type_species = ''[Ziziphus jujuba](/source/Jujube)''
|type_species_authority = Mill. (1768), nom. cons.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tropicos.org/Name/40028635 |title=Ziziphus Mill. |work=TROPICOS |publisher=Missouri Botanical Database |access-date=31 January 2013}}</ref>
|subdivision_ranks = Species
|subdivision = 68; see text
|subdivision_ref = <ref name = powo>{{cite web |url= https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30447869-2 |title= ''Ziziphus'' Mill. |website=[Plants of the World Online](/source/Plants_of_the_World_Online) |access-date= 18 March 2024}}</ref>
|synonyms =
*''Chloroxylum'' {{small|P.Browne (1756)}}
*''Jububa'' {{small|Bubani (1897)}}
*''Mansana'' {{small|J.F.Gmel. (1791)}}
*''Zizyphon'' {{small|St.-Lag. (1880), orth. var.}}
|synonyms_ref = <ref name = powo/>
}}

'''''Ziziphus''''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|z|ɪ|z|ᵻ|f|ə|s}}<ref>''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607</ref> is a genus  of spiny [shrub](/source/shrub)s and small [tree](/source/tree)s in the [buckthorn](/source/buckthorn) family, [Rhamnaceae](/source/Rhamnaceae). It includes 68 species native to tropical and subtropical Africa, Eurasia, and Australia and tropical South America.<ref name = powo/> The [leaves](/source/leaf) are alternate, entire, with three prominent basal veins, and often aromatic. The [flower](/source/flower)s are small, inconspicuous yellow-green. The [fruit](/source/fruit) is an edible [drupe](/source/drupe), often very sweet and sugary, reminiscent of a [date](/source/Date_Palm) in texture and flavour.

Well known species include the commonly cultivated ''Ziziphus jujuba'' ([jujube](/source/jujube)), ''[Ziziphus spina-christi](/source/Ziziphus_spina-christi)'' from southwestern [Asia](/source/Asia), ''[Ziziphus lotus](/source/Ziziphus_lotus)'' from the [Mediterranean](/source/Mediterranean) region, and ber (''[Ziziphus mauritiana](/source/Ziziphus_mauritiana)''), which is found from western [Africa](/source/Africa) to [India](/source/India).

==Etymology==
The [genus name](/source/genus_name) is derived via classical [Latin](/source/Latin_language) from Hellenistic [Greek](/source/Greek_language), where it is presumed to have been borrowed from another language, perhaps from ''zizfum'' or ''zizafun'', the [Persian](/source/Persian_language) word for ''[Z. lotus](/source/Ziziphus_lotus)''.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2ndDtX-RjYkC |title=CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names |volume=4 R–Z |year=2000 |first=Umberto |last=Quattrocchi |publisher=Taylor & Francis US |isbn=978-0-8493-2678-3 |page=2876}}</ref>

==Ecology==
''Ziziphus'' species are used as food plants by the [larvae](/source/Caterpillar) of some [Lepidoptera](/source/Lepidoptera) species including ''[Bucculatrix zizyphella](/source/Bucculatricidae)'', which feeds exclusively on the genus, and ''[Endoclita malabaricus](/source/Endoclita)''.

Species are distributed throughout the world in tropical and warm temperate areas, from rain forests to deserts. Some species are evergreen, others are winter or drought [deciduous](/source/deciduous).

Species adapted to dry climates are smaller and have oleifera cells that produce a fragrant aroma.

==Uses==
The temperate [''Ziziphus jujuba''](/source/Jujube) (Chinese jujube) and the tropical ''[Ziziphus mauritiana](/source/Ziziphus_mauritiana)'' (Indian Jujube) are economically important fruit trees.

In [traditional Chinese medicine](/source/traditional_Chinese_medicine) (TCM), ''suan zao ren'' (''Ziziphus jujuba'') is considered to be sweet and sour in taste, and neutral in action. It is believed to nourish the heart [yin](/source/Yin_and_yang), augment the liver blood, and calm the spirit (TCM medical terms).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Suan Zao Ren - Sour Jujube Seed TCM Materia Medica |url=https://yinyanghouse.com/theory/theory/herbalmedicine/suan_zao_ren_tcm_herbal_database/ |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=Yin Yang House |language=en}}</ref> It is used to treat irritability, [insomnia](/source/insomnia) and heart [palpitation](/source/palpitation)s.

==Mythology==
The mythological [lotus tree](/source/lotus_tree) which occurs in [Homer](/source/Homer)'s ''[Odyssey](/source/Odyssey)'' is often equated with ''[Z. lotus](/source/Ziziphus_lotus)''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://trees.stanford.edu/ENCYC/ZIZju.htm|title=Ziziphus jujuba, jujube &#124; Trees of Stanford & Environs|website=trees.stanford.edu|accessdate=May 15, 2024}}</ref>

== Species ==
68 species are accepted.<ref name = powo/>
{{div col|colwidth=35em}}
*''[Ziziphus abyssinica](/source/Ziziphus_abyssinica)'' <small>Hochst. ex A.Rich.</small> – dry zones of tropical Africa
*''[Ziziphus affinis](/source/Ziziphus_affinis)'' {{small|Hemsl.}}
*''[Ziziphus andamanica](/source/Ziziphus_andamanica)'' {{small|Bhandari & Bhansali}}
*''[Ziziphus angustifolia](/source/Ziziphus_angustifolia)'' {{small|(Miq.) Hatus. ex Steenis}}
*''[Ziziphus apetala](/source/Ziziphus_apetala)'' <small>Hook.f. ex M.A.Lawson</small>
*''[Ziziphus attopensis](/source/Ziziphus_attopensis)'' <small>Pierre</small>
* ''[Ziziphus borneensis](/source/Ziziphus_borneensis)'' {{small|Merr.}}
* ''[Ziziphus brunoniana](/source/Ziziphus_brunoniana)'' {{small|C.B.Clarke ex A.W.Hill}}
* ''[Ziziphus budhensis](/source/Ziziphus_budhensis)'' <small>Bhattarai & Pathak</small> – Central Nepal
* ''[Ziziphus calophylla](/source/Ziziphus_calophylla)'' {{small|Wall.}}
* ''[Ziziphus cambodiana](/source/Ziziphus_cambodiana)'' {{small|Pierre}} – Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam
* ''[Ziziphus colombiana](/source/Ziziphus_colombiana)'' {{small|Suess. & Overkott}}
* ''[Ziziphus cotinifolia](/source/Ziziphus_cotinifolia)'' <small>Reissek</small>
* ''[Ziziphus crebrivenosa](/source/Ziziphus_crebrivenosa)'' {{small|C.B.Rob.}}
* ''[Ziziphus cumingiana](/source/Ziziphus_cumingiana)'' {{small|Merr.}}
* ''[Ziziphus djamuensis](/source/Ziziphus_djamuensis)'' {{small|Lauterb.}}
* ''[Ziziphus elegans](/source/Ziziphus_elegans)'' {{small|Wall.}}
* ''[Ziziphus fungii](/source/Ziziphus_fungii)'' <small>Merr.</small>
* ''[Ziziphus funiculosa](/source/Ziziphus_funiculosa)'' <small>Buch.-Ham. ex M.A.Lawson</small>
* ''[Ziziphus glabrata](/source/Ziziphus_glabrata)'' {{small|(B.Heyne ex Schult.) B.Heyne ex Wight & Arn.}}
* ''[Ziziphus globularis](/source/Ziziphus_globularis)'' {{small|Wall.}}
* ''[Ziziphus guaranitica](/source/Ziziphus_guaranitica)'' <small>Malme</small>
* ''[Ziziphus hajarensis](/source/Ziziphus_hajarensis)'' <small>Duling, Ghaz. & Prend.</small>
* ''[Ziziphus hamur](/source/Ziziphus_hamur)'' {{small|Engl.}}
* ''[Ziziphus havilandii](/source/Ziziphus_havilandii)'' {{small|Ridl.}}
* ''[Ziziphus hoaensis](/source/Ziziphus_hoaensis)'' {{small|Pierre}}
* ''[Ziziphus horrida](/source/Ziziphus_horrida)'' <small>Roth</small>
* ''[Ziziphus horsfieldii](/source/Ziziphus_horsfieldii)'' {{small|Miq.}}
* ''[Ziziphus hutchinsonii](/source/Ziziphus_hutchinsonii)'' {{small|Merr.}} – Philippines
* ''[Ziziphus incurva](/source/Ziziphus_incurva)'' <small>Roxb.</small>
* ''[Ziziphus javanensis](/source/Ziziphus_javanensis)'' <small>Blume</small>
* ''[Ziziphus jujuba](/source/Ziziphus_jujuba)'' <small>Mill.</small> &ndash; Jujube
* ''[Ziziphus kunstleri](/source/Ziziphus_kunstleri)'' {{small|King}}
* ''[Ziziphus laui](/source/Ziziphus_laui)'' <small>Merr.</small>
* ''[Ziziphus leucodermis](/source/Ziziphus_leucodermis)'' {{small|(Baker) O.Schwartz}}
* ''[Ziziphus linnaei](/source/Ziziphus_linnaei)'' {{small|M.A.Lawson}}
* ''[Ziziphus lotus](/source/Ziziphus_lotus)'' <small>([L.](/source/Carl_Linnaeus)) [Lam.](/source/Jean-Baptiste_Lamarck)</small> – Mediterranean region
* ''[Ziziphus mairei](/source/Ziziphus_mairei)'' <small>Dode</small>
* ''[Ziziphus mauritiana](/source/Ziziphus_mauritiana)'' <small>Lam.</small> – widespread through Old World tropics and subtropics
* ''[Ziziphus melastomoides](/source/Ziziphus_melastomoides)'' <small>Pittier</small>
* ''[Ziziphus montana](/source/Ziziphus_montana)'' <small>W.W.Smith</small>
* ''[Ziziphus mucronata](/source/Ziziphus_mucronata)'' <small>Willd.</small> buffalo thorn – southern Africa
* ''[Ziziphus nummularia](/source/Ziziphus_nummularia)'' <small>(Burm.f.) Wight & Arn.</small> – [Thar Desert](/source/Thar_Desert) of India and Pakistan
* ''[Ziziphus oenopolia](/source/Ziziphus_oenopolia)'' <small>(L.) Mill.</small>
* ''[Ziziphus otanesii](/source/Ziziphus_otanesii)'' {{small|Merr.}}
* ''[Ziziphus oxyphylla](/source/Ziziphus_oxyphylla)'' <small>Edgew.</small>
* ''[Ziziphus papuana](/source/Ziziphus_papuana)'' {{small|Lauterb.}}
* ''[Ziziphus pernettyoides](/source/Ziziphus_pernettyoides)'' {{small|Ridl.}}
* ''[Ziziphus poilanei](/source/Ziziphus_poilanei)'' <small>Tardieu</small>
* ''[Ziziphus pubescens](/source/Ziziphus_pubescens)'' {{small|Oliv.}}
* ''[Ziziphus pubinervis](/source/Ziziphus_pubinervis)'' <small>Rehder</small>
* ''[Ziziphus quadrilocularis](/source/Ziziphus_quadrilocularis)'' <small>F.Muell.</small> – northern Australia
* ''[Ziziphus ridleyana](/source/Ziziphus_ridleyana)'' {{small|Rasingam & Karthig.}}
* ''[Ziziphus rivularis](/source/Ziziphus_rivularis)'' {{small|Codd}}
* ''[Ziziphus robertsoniana](/source/Ziziphus_robertsoniana)'' {{small|Beentje}}
* ''[Ziziphus rubiginosa](/source/Ziziphus_rubiginosa)'' {{small|D.G.Long & Rae}}
* ''[Ziziphus rugosa](/source/Ziziphus_rugosa)'' {{small|Lam.}}
* ''[Ziziphus spina-christi](/source/Ziziphus_spina-christi)'' <small>(L.) Desf.</small>
* ''[Ziziphus subquinquenervia](/source/Ziziphus_subquinquenervia)'' {{small|Miq.}}
* ''[Ziziphus suluensis](/source/Ziziphus_suluensis)'' {{small|Merr.}}
* ''[Ziziphus talanae](/source/Ziziphus_talanae)'' <small>([Blanco](/source/Francisco_Manuel_Blanco)) [Merr.](/source/Merr.)</small> – [Philippines](/source/Philippines)
* ''[Ziziphus timoriensis](/source/Ziziphus_timoriensis)'' {{small|DC.}}
* ''[Ziziphus trinervis](/source/Ziziphus_trinervis)'' <small>(Cav.) Poir.</small>
* ''[Ziziphus truncata](/source/Ziziphus_truncata)'' <small>Blatt. & Hallb.</small>
* ''[Ziziphus williamii](/source/Ziziphus_williamii)'' <small>Bhandari & Bhansali</small>
* ''[Ziziphus xiangchengensis](/source/Ziziphus_xiangchengensis)'' <small>Y.L.Chen & P.K.Chou</small>
* ''[Ziziphus xylopyrus](/source/Ziziphus_xylopyrus)'' <small>(Retz.) Willd.</small>
* ''[Ziziphus zeyheriana](/source/Ziziphus_zeyheriana)'' {{small|Sond.}}
{{div col end}}
:[[File:شکوفه درخت کنار، بهبهان.jpg|alt=Ziziphus Blossom in Behbahan, Iran|thumb|Ziziphus Blossom in [Behbahan](/source/Behbahan), [Iran](/source/Iran)]]
Other list sources:<ref name=ipni>{{cite web |url=http://www.ipni.org:80/ipni/advPlantNameSearch.do;jsessionid=44A10E90FF750D4F0B6194F0B7D945BE?find_family=&find_genus=Ziziphus&find_species=&find_infrafamily=&find_infragenus=&find_infraspecies=&find_authorAbbrev=&find_includePublicationAuthors=on&find_includePublicationAuthors=off&find_includeBasionymAuthors=on&find_includeBasionymAuthors=off&find_publicationTitle=&find_isAPNIRecord=on&find_isAPNIRecord=false&find_isGCIRecord=on&find_isGCIRecord=false&find_isIKRecord=on&find_isIKRecord=false&find_rankToReturn=spec&output_format=normal&find_sortByFamily=on&find_sortByFamily=off&query_type=by_query&back_page=plantsearch |title=Query Results for Genus Ziziphus |publisher=[IPNI](/source/International_Plant_Names_Index)|access-date=August 7, 2009}}</ref><ref name=GRINSpecies>{{cite web |url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?13055 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001031063613/http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?13055 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2000-10-31 |title=GRIN Species Records of Ziziphus |work=[GRIN](/source/Germplasm_Resources_Information_Network) |publisher=[USDA](/source/United_States_Department_of_Agriculture)|access-date=2010-10-16 }}</ref><ref name=fb>{{cite web |url=https://florabrasiliensis.cria.org.br/search?taxon_id=10489 |title=Classificação segundo a Flora brasiliensis |website=florabrasiliensis.cria.org.br|language=pt |access-date=August 7, 2009}}</ref><ref name=foc>{{cite web |url=http://www.efloras.org/browse.aspx?flora_id=3&start_taxon_id=135333 |title=Ziziphus species list |work=[Flora of China](/source/Flora_of_China_(series)) |publisher=EFloras|access-date=September 7, 2009}}</ref><ref name=colc>{{cite web |url=http://csvh.org/cnnode/browse_taxa.php?selected_taxon=11405 |title=Genus Ziziphus |author=The Biodiversity Committee of the [Chinese Academy of Sciences](/source/Chinese_Academy_of_Sciences) |year=2008 |publisher=Catalogue of Life China: 2008 Annual Checklist China|location=[Beijing, China](/source/Beijing) |access-date=September 9, 2009}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref><ref name=rbge>{{cite web |url=http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Ziziphus&SPECIES_XREF=&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK= |title=Flora Europaea: ''Ziziphus'' query results |publisher=[Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh](/source/Royal_Botanic_Garden_Edinburgh)|access-date=September 7, 2009}}</ref><ref name="ITIS">{{ITIS |id=28594 |taxon=''Ziziphus'' |access-date=2010-03-08}}</ref>

===Formerly placed here===
* ''[Condaliopsis obtusifolia](/source/Condaliopsis_obtusifolia)'' {{small|(Hook. ex Torr. & A.Gray) Suess.}} – Lotebush (as ''[Ziziphus obtusifolia](/source/Ziziphus_obtusifolia)'' <small>(Hook. ex Torr. & A.Gray) A.Gray</small>)
* ''[Pseudoziziphus celata](/source/Pseudoziziphus_celata)'' {{small|(Judd & D.W.Hall) Hauenschild}} (as ''[Ziziphus celata](/source/Ziziphus_celata)'' <small>Judd & Hall</small>)
* ''[Pseudoziziphus parryi](/source/Pseudoziziphus_parryi)'' {{small|(Torr.) Hauenschild}} &ndash; Parry's Jujube (as ''Ziziphus parryi'' <small>Torr.</small>)
*''[Sarcomphalus mistol](/source/Sarcomphalus_mistol)'' {{small|(Griseb.) Hauenschild}} (as  ''[Ziziphus mistol](/source/Ziziphus_mistol)'' <small>Griseb.</small>)
* ''[Ziziphus lloydi](/source/Ziziphus_lloydi)'' <small>A.Gray</small>

===Fossil species===
* [†](/source/Extinction) ''[Ziziphus hyperboreus](/source/Ziziphus_hyperboreus)'' <small>Heer</small> ([Greenland](/source/Greenland), [Eocene](/source/Eocene) fossil)
* [†](/source/Extinction) ''[Ziziphus wyomingianis](/source/Ziziphus_wyomingianis)'' <small>[Berry](/source/Edward_W._Berry)<!--Likely this is the Berry referred to in the source, as he was past pres. of the Paleontological Society of America--></small> (Tipperary, [Wind River Basin](/source/Wind_River_Basin) Wyoming, USA, [Eocene](/source/Eocene) fossil)<ref name=USGS165>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hUIRAAAAIAAJ&q=parthenocissus+inosculation&pg=PA73|title=Geological Survey professional paper, Issue 165: Shorter Contributions to General Geology|publisher=US Govt. Printing Office|year=1930|page=73|access-date=May 28, 2011}}</ref>
:† = [Extinct](/source/extinction)

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Ziziphus zizyphus foliage.jpg|''Ziziphus jujuba'' foliage
File:Ziziphus jujuba MS 2461.JPG|Dried fruits (azufaifas) in southern Spain of ''Ziziphus jujuba''
File:Azufaifas (fcm).jpg|Azufaifas from [Almería](/source/Almer%C3%ADa)
File:Indian jujube (fruit).jpg|''[Ziziphus mauritiana](/source/Ziziphus_mauritiana)''
File:Ziziphus oenoplia W IMG 3626.jpg|''[Ziziphus oenoplia](/source/Ziziphus_oenoplia)'' in [Shamirpet](/source/Shamirpet), [Rangareddy district](/source/Rangareddy_district), [Andhra Pradesh](/source/Andhra_Pradesh), India
File:Ziziphus oenoplia W2 IMG 3624.jpg|''Ziziphus oenoplia'' in Shamirpet, Rangareddy district, Andhra Pradesh, India
File:Ziziphus spina-Christi.jpg|''[Ziziphus spina-christi](/source/Ziziphus_spina-christi)''
File:Ziziphus caracutta syn Z xylopyra (Ghatbor) in Vanasthalipuram, Hyderabad, AP W IMG 9259.jpg|''[Ziziphus xylopyrus](/source/Ziziphus_xylopyrus)'' in [Hyderabad](/source/Hyderabad), India
File:Ziziphus caracutta syn Z xylopyra (Ghatbor) in Vanasthalipuram, Hyderabad, AP W IMG 9256.jpg|''Ziziphus xylopyrus'' in Hyderabad, India
File:Ziziphus caracutta syn Z xylopyra (Ghatbor) in Vanasthalipuram, Hyderabad, AP W IMG 9255.jpg|''Ziziphus xylopyrus'' in Hyderabad, India
File:Iran Zizyphus.JPG|Persian ''Zizyphus'' in Iran
File:شکوفه درخت کنار، بهبهان.jpg|alt=Ziziphus Blossom in Behbahan, Iran|''Ziziphus'' blossom in [Behbahan](/source/Behbahan), Iran
File:میوه درخت کنار، بهبهان.jpg|alt=Ziziphus Fruit, Behbahan, Iran|''Ziziphus'' [fruit](/source/fruit), Behbahan, Iran
</gallery>

==References==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikispecies}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q310492}}
{{Authority control}}

Category:Ziziphus
Category:Rhamnaceae genera
Category:Taxa named by Philip Miller

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ziziphus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziziphus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziziphus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.