Ziziphus
| Ziziphus | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Ziziphus jujuba, by Adolphus Ypey | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rhamnaceae |
| Tribe: | Paliureae |
| Genus: |
Ziziphus Mill., 1768 |
| Type species | |
|
Ziziphus jujuba Mill. |
|
| Species | |
|
See text |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Condaliopsis (Weberb.) Suess. |
|
See text
Condaliopsis (Weberb.) Suess.
Sarcomphalus P.Browne
Ziziphus /ˈzɪzᵻfəs/ is a genus of about 40 species of spiny shrubs and small trees in the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, distributed in the warm-temperate and subtropical regions throughout the world. The leaves are alternate, entire, with three prominent basal veins, and 2–7 cm (0.79–2.76 in) long; some species are deciduous, others evergreen. The flowers are small, inconspicuous yellow-green. The fruit is an edible drupe, yellow-brown, red, or black, globose or oblong, 1–5 cm (0.39–1.97 in) long, often very sweet and sugary, reminiscent of a date in texture and flavour.
The generic name is derived from zizfum or zizafun, the Persian word for Z. lotus. They are Rhamnaceae, near to the Buckthorn genus.
Ziziphus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Bucculatrix zizyphella, which feeds exclusively on the genus, and Endoclita malabaricus.
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