Etymology
The generic name is derived via classical Latin language, Latin from Hellenistic Greek language, Greek, where it is presumed to have been borrowed from another language, perhaps from ''zizfum'' or ''zizafun'', the Persian language, Persian word for ''Ziziphus lotus, Z. lotus''.Ecology
''Ziziphus'' species are used as food plants by the Caterpillar, larvae of some Lepidoptera species including ''Bucculatricidae, Bucculatrix zizyphella'', which feeds exclusively on the genus, and ''Endoclita, Endoclita malabaricus''. Well known species includes ''Ziziphus jujuba'' (jujube), ''Ziziphus spina-christi'' from southwestern Asia, ''Ziziphus lotus'' from the Mediterranean region, and ber (''Ziziphus mauritiana''), which is found from western Africa to India. ''Ziziphus joazeiro'' grows in the Caatinga of Brazil. ''Ziziphus celata'' is listed as an endangered species in the United States. The fruits are an important source for birds, which eat the whole fruit and regurgitate the seeds intact, expanding the seeds in the best conditions for germination (Biological dispersal, ornithochory). Secondly, seed dispersal is carried out by mammalia, mammals or fishes. The fruit is energy-rich because of the large amount of sugar it contains. It is cultivated and eaten fresh, dry, and in jam. It is also added as a base in meals and in the manufacture of candy. The leaf, leaves can be either deciduous or evergreen depending on species, and are aromatic. They are temperate or tropical plants, having a great range. They are most abundant where monthly average temperatures are between and and minimum winter temperatures are not lower than . They prefer locations with a high temperature coupled with humidity. They require a deep soil, fresh, soft, siliceous-calcareous nature or limestone-clay-silica-clay and subsurface permeable, with pH between 5.5 and 7.8. In excessively sandy or clay soils which may be affected by standing water, the plants do not grow well. Many species are very sensitive to drought, and if the land is excessively dry and of calcareous nature, they may resent the lack of moisture. At the slightest drought, premature fruit drop is frequent. ''Ziziphus'' has several Relict (biology), relict species living in temperate areas. These species cannot endure the harsh winters of temperate continental climates. The ecological requirements of the genus are mostly those of vigorous species with a great ability to propagate in conducive habitats. This genus is adapted mostly to high rainfall and humidity, but some species are deciduous, living in Mediterranean humid climate. The deciduous ''Ziziphus'' species lose all of their leaves for part of the year depending on variations in rainfall. In deciduous species in tropical, subtropical, and arid regions, leaf loss coincides with the dry season. They grow mostly in tropical forests but have also been found in stubbles, pastures, coastal ranges, tropical mountain areas, and wet to dry interior regions. The family is distributed throughout tropical and subtropical areas and in cloud forest. The differences are ecological adaptations to different environments over a relatively dry-wet climate. Species in less humid environment are smaller or less robust, with less abundant and thinner foliage and have oleifera cells that produce trees with a more fragrant aroma.Uses
In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), ''suan zao ren'' (''Ziziphus spinosa'') is considered to be sweet and sour in taste, and neutral in action. It is believed to nourish the heart Yin and yang, yin, augment the liver blood, and calm the spirit (TCM medical terms). It is used to treat irritability, insomnia and heart palpitations.Mythology
The mythological lotus tree which occurs in Homer's ''Odyssey'' is often equated with ''Ziziphus lotus, Z. lotus'', though the date palm is also a possible candidate.Selected species
* ''Ziziphus abyssinica'' Hochst. ex A.Rich. (Dry zones of tropical Africa) * ''Ziziphus angolito'' Standl. * ''Ziziphus apetala'' Hook.f. ex M.A.Lawson * ''Ziziphus attopensis'' Pierre * ''Ziziphus budhensis'' Bhattarai & Pathak (Central Nepal) * ''Ziziphus cambodiana'' Pierre (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam) * ''Ziziphus celata'' Judd & Hall (Florida, USA) * ''Ziziphus cotinifolia'' Reissek * ''Ziziphus fungii'' Merr. * ''Ziziphus funiculosa'' Buch.-Ham. ex M.A.Lawson * ''Ziziphus guaranitica'' Malme * ''Ziziphus havanensis'' Kunth * ''Ziziphus horrida'' Roth * ''Ziziphus hutchinsonii'' (Philippines) * ''Ziziphus incurva'' Roxb. * ''Ziziphus joazeiro'' Mart. * ''Ziziphus jujuba'' Mill. – Jujube * ''Ziziphus laui'' Merr. * ''Ziziphus lotus'' (Carl Linnaeus, L.) Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, Lam. (Mediterranean region) * ''Ziziphus mairei'' Dode * ''Ziziphus mauritiana'' Lam. (Widespread through Old World tropics and subtropics) * ''Ziziphus melastomoides'' Pittier * ''Ziziphus mexicana'' Rose * ''Ziziphus mistol'' Griseb. (Gran Chaco of South America) * ''Ziziphus montana'' W.W.Smith * ''Ziziphus mucronata'' Willd. – Buffalo Thorn (Southern Africa) * ''Ziziphus napeca'' * ''Ziziphus nummularia'' (Burm.f.) Wight & Arn. (Thar Desert of South Asia) * ''Ziziphus obtusifolia'' (Hook. ex Torr. & A.Gray) A.Gray – Lotebush * ''Ziziphus oenoplia'' (L.) Mill. * ''Ziziphus oxyphylla'' Edgew. * ''Ziziphus parryi'' Torr. – Parry's Jujube * ''Ziziphus poilanei'' Tardieu * ''Ziziphus platyphylla'' Reissek * ''Ziziphus quadrilocularis'' F.Muell. (Northern Australia) * ''Ziziphus robertsoniana'' * ''Ziziphus rugosa'' * ''Ziziphus saeri'' Pittier * ''Ziziphus sativa'' Gaertn * ''Ziziphus spina-christi'' (L.) Desf. * ''Ziziphus talanai'' (Francisco Manuel Blanco, Blanco) Merr. (Philippines) * ''Ziziphus trinervia'' (Cav.) Poir. * ''Ziziphus undulata'' Reissek * ''Ziziphus vulgaris'' Lamarck – Hinap (Bulgaria) * ''Ziziphus xiangchengensis'' Y.L.Chen & P.K.Chou * ''Ziziphus xylopyrus'' (Retz.) Willd. :List sources:Fossil species
* Extinction, † ''Ziziphus hyperboreus'' Heer (Greenland, Eocene fossil) * Extinction, † ''Ziziphus wyomingianis'' Edward W. Berry, Berry (Tipperary, Wind River Basin Wyoming, USA, Eocene fossil) :† = extinction, ExtinctGallery
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q310492 Ziziphus, Rhamnaceae genera Taxa named by Philip Miller