CHAP. XXXV. ‘RHAMNA‘CER. ZI’ ZYPHUS. 525 
Spec. Char., §c. Branchlets glabrous. » 
Leaves ovate, retuse, denticulate gla- 
brous, or, beneath, pubescent along the 
nerves. Prickles not any, or twin, one 
of them recurved. Drupe ovate-ob- 
long. A deciduous tree, a native of 
Syria, whence it was brought to Romes 
during the reign of Augustus. (Dec. 
Prod., ii. p. 19.) Introduced into Eng- 
land in 1640. In its native country, 
it grows to the height of 20 ft. or 30 ft., 
with a thick cylindrical stem, somewhat 
twisted. The bark is brown, and rather 
chapped. The branches are numerous, 
pliant, armed with prickles, zigzag in 
their direction ; the prickles at the joints 
being two of unequal size, of which one 
is almost straight, and the other shorter 
and quite straight. The leaves are al- 
ternate and oval-oblong, somewhat hard and coriaceous- The flowers are 
small, axillary, of a pale yellow colour, with short peduncles. The fruit is 
oval-oblong, resembling that of the olive; at first green, afterwards yellow, 
and entirely red when ripe. It has a mild and vinous taste. The pulp 
encloses a nut, having a long point at one of the extremities, and it con- 
tains two seeds. In the south of France, the tree flowers in the begin- 
ning of summer, and the fruit ripens in the beginning of autumn. In the 
neighbourhood of Paris, it flowers in autumn, and the fruit never arrives 
at maturity. In England, we have only seen very small plants, kept in 
pots, in pits. 

Geography, History, §c. This tree is indigenous in Syria, and other parts 
of Asia, also in Greece (see p. 165.); and it is cultivated on both shores of the 
Mediterranean. It has been acclimatised in Italy since the time of Augustus, 
and cultivated for its fruit in different parts of that country, as far north as 
Genoa. Pliny, speaking of the jujube, says that “this tree, and the Azeda- 
rach, were imported into Italy, from Africa and Syria, in the reign of Au- 
gustus, and planted on the ramparts of Rome, where they made a fine ap- 
pearance, from their heads rising above the houses.” Du Hamel recommends 
the tree to be cultivated generally, on account of the beauty of its foliage ; 
and, in Languedoc, on account of its fruit. The taste of the fruit is somewhat 
acid; but the flesh is firm, succulent, and, when dried, it makes a very 
desirable sweetmeat. The syrup of jujubes is employed for abating fever, 
and purifying the blood; and in coughs and catarrhs: lozenges for the 
latter purposes are also made of it. The plant prefers a soil that is rather 
dry, to one that is moist; and, when once established, it is by no means 
liable to suffer from the winters of Paris. It is easily increased by cuttings of 
the roots, whether of young or old trees ; or by suckers, which it throws up 
in the greatest abundance. Seeds may also be procured of it from Italy. We 
have seen the fruit on the tree in the garden of M. Cels, at Paris, in 1828;. 
and gathered it in that of Signor di Negro, at Genoa, in 1819. In 1835, there 
were plants of this species in the Fulham Nursery. 
2 2. Z, stnE’Nsis Lam. The Chinese Jujube. 
Identification. Lam. Dict., 3. p. 318.; Dec. Prod. 2. p.19.; Don’s Mill, 2. p. 24 
Synonyme. Rhamnus Zizyphus Lour. Fl. Coch., 158. 
Spec. Char. §c. Branchlets pubescent. Leaves ovate-oblong, acute, serrate, glabrous, except 
beneath, along the nerves. Prickles twin, straightish, diverging. Petals reflexed. Drupes ovate. 
Reputed to be a native of China, apparently on the authority of the Paris Garden ; but it is a- 
question whether correctly. (Dec. Prod., ii. p.19.) Introduced into England in 1818, and 
described in the Nouveau Du Hamel as requiring protection during winter in the Paris Garden. 
The name is in Loddiges’s Catalogue, but the plant in their arboretum was dead in 1835, and we 
have never seen it. 
