198 



G. I'. W. Collection. Plate XCVII 



Zisiphus Jujuba. 



" JUJUBE." 



This tree, which grows to a height of from 15 to 20 feet, is a 

 native of China, from which country it was probably introduced 

 to these Islands. Its branches are usually prickly ; the leaves, 

 which are from 1 to 3 inches in length, are alternate, ovate to 

 oblong, obtuse, and are dark green and glabrous above, and 

 tawny and nearly white beneath. The flowers are axillary. The 

 yellow fruit, which ripens in March, is about the size of a cherry. 

 When eaten raw, it has a bitter flavor, but it makes an excellent 

 preserve. 



