EHAMNACEAE 241 



About 40 species in the tropics and warm temperate regions. The 

 fleshy drupe of several species is edible. Propagated by seeds and 

 by greenwood cuttings. Besides the cultivated trees, shrubby species 

 producing inferior fruits but which may be planted as hedges, and in 

 arid situations, occur in this country. 



Ziziphus jujuba Lamarck. 



Tree 10-16 m. high, usually prickly. Branchlets, petioles and 

 inflorescence tomentose. Leaves 2.5-8.5 cm. long, oval to oblong, obtuse, 

 entire or serrate, tomentose below. Fruit subglobose, 1.4-2 cm. long, 

 orange-red, stalk about 1/2 the length of the fruit. 



S. Asia and Africa. 



This is the common cultivated Jujube and between 300 and 400 

 horticultural varieties have been developed in this country. The tree has 

 a more or less pendulous habit, and besides being a valuable fruit tree is 

 desirable for ornamental planting, as the handsome light green foliage, 

 and attractive, bright colored fruits produced in great profusion are most 

 pleasing to the sight. The fruits show great variation in shape and size, 

 some being almost round, others oblong; some are small while others 

 are as large as an egg, varying in color from red or brown. 



Ziziphus sativa Gaertner. 

 (Z. vulgaris Lamarck.) 

 Common Jujube. 



Glabrous shrub or tree to 17 m. high, thorny or unarmed. Leaves 

 2-5 cm. long, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acute or obtuse, oblique at the 

 base, serrulate. Flowers yellowish, in axillary cymes. Fruit 1.4-2 

 cm. long, ovoid or oblong, dark red to almost black, short stalked. 



S. Europe, S. & E. Asia. 



Cultivated as a fruit tree in China. The heart wood, leaves, roots, 

 and fruit are all medicinal. 



PALIURUS 



Shrubs or trees, usually armed with spines developed from the 

 stipules, the spines usually unequal, one straight, the other curved and 

 pointing downwards. Leaves alternate, arranged in two ranks, simple, 

 usually ovate, entire or serrate, 3 nerved at the base, stalked. Flowers 



