PHANEROGAMS— PROFESSOR BAYLEY BALFOUR. 57 



Order XXII. RHAMNE^. 



A considerable order of the warm and temperate regions of both old and 

 new worlds. 



ZIZYPHUS. 



Zizyphus, Juss. Gen. 380 ; Benth. et Hook. Gen. PL i. 375. 



A considerable genus of tropical and subtropical trees and shrubs, most 

 abundant in Asia and America. Two species occur in Socotra; one is a 

 common old world tropical form, the other is limited in its distribution to the 

 western parts of Asia and tropical Africa. 



1. Z. Jujuba, Lamk. Diet. hi. 318 ; DC. Prod. ii. 21 ; Hemsl. in Oliv. 

 Flor. Trop. Afr. i. 379 ; Boiss. Flor. Orient, ii. 13 ; Laws, in Hook. Flor. Brit. 

 Ind. i. 632 ; Wight Ic. t. 99. 



Nom. Vern. Nebek (Wellst.). 

 Socotra. Common. B.C.S. n. 289. 

 Distrib. Old world tropics. 



2. Z. Spina-Christi, Willd. Sp. i. 1105; DC. Prod. ii. 20; Hemsl. in 

 Oliv. Flor. Trop. Afr. i. 380 ; Boiss. Flor. Orient, ii. 13. 



Bhamnus Naleca, Forsk. Fl. iEgypt. Arab. 204. 



Nom. Vern. .Nebek (Wellst.). 



Socotra. Not uncommon. B.C.S. 661. 



Distrib. Tropical Africa and western Asia. 



There can be little doubt that this and the foregoing species are the trees 

 spoken of by Wellsted (in Journ. Koy. Geogr. Soc. v. (1835), 151), as Nebek 

 trees. He thus writes : " This tree is well known to botanists as the lotus nebea 

 — its height is usually from 20 to 30 feet — the bark is light-coloured, rough, 

 and crossed longitudinally by numerous fissures ; the leaves are cordiform (or 

 heart-shaped) and small, the branches are large, but the foliage is somewhat 

 scanty. Notwithstanding the hardness and length of the spines which grow on 

 its branches, intermingled with its leaves, the camels, from the cartilaginous 

 formation of their mouths, feed on both with much avidity, and without to 

 appearance suffering any inconvenience. The fruit, of which they are equally 

 jfond, clusters in great abundance amidst its branches, and from its golden 

 colour gives to the tree a rich and pleasing appearance ; the natives assert that 

 it is produced at all seasons ; it resembles a cherry in form and size, and has a 

 peculiar though mild and pleasant flavour. The Arabs pound them between 

 two stones into a paste-like consistence, which they mix with ghee, and swallow 

 with much apparent relish." 



TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDIN. VOL. XXXI. H 



