Ziziphus mauritiana

"Ber" redirects here. For other uses, see Ber (disambiguation).

Ziziphus mauritiana
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rhamnaceae
Genus: Ziziphus
Species:
Z. mauritiana
Binomial name
Ziziphus mauritiana

Ziziphus mauritiana, also known as Indian jujube,[2] Indian plum,[2] Chinese date,[2] Chinee apple,[2] ber[2] and dunks[2] is a tropical fruit tree species belonging to the family Rhamnaceae. It is often confused with the closely related Chinese jujube (Z. jujuba), but whereas Z. jujuba prefers temperate climates, Z. mauritiana is tropical to subtropical.[3]

Ziziphus mauritiana is a spiny, evergreen shrub or small tree up to 15 m high, with trunk 40 cm or more in diameter; spreading crown; stipular spines and many drooping branches. The fruit is of variable shape and size. It can be oval, obovate, oblong or round, and can be 1-2.5 in (2.5-6.25 cm) long, depending on the variety. The flesh is white and crisp. When slightly underipe, this fruit is a bit juicy and has a pleasant aroma. The fruit's skin is smooth, glossy, thin but tight.

The species is believed to have originated in Indo-Malaysian region of South and South-East Asia.[4] It is now widely naturalised throughout the Old World tropics from Southern Africa through the Middle East to the Indian subcontinent and China, Indomalaya, and into Australasia and the Pacific Islands.[5] While the Rhamnaceae family are considered nitrogen fixing trees,[6] Ziziphus mauritiana can form dense stands and become invasive in some areas, including Fiji and Australia, and has become a serious environmental weed in Northern Australia. It is a fast-growing tree with a medium lifespan, that can quickly reach up to 10–40 ft (3 to 12 m) tall.

  1. ^ Ye, J.; Qin, h.; Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) & IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2019). "Ziziphus mauritiana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T147482710A147637366. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Cite error: The named reference HORT was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Pasiecznik, N (2007-08-15). "Datasheet: Ziziphus mauritiana (jujube)". CABI Compendium. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  4. ^ Janick, Jules; Paull, Robert E., eds. (March 2008). The encyclopedia of fruit & nuts. CABI Publishing. pp. 617–619. ISBN 978-0-85199-638-7. Retrieved 2009-07-17 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "Ziziphus mauritiana". Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk. 2008-01-15. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  6. ^ "Why Nitrogen Fixing Trees? (NFTA 89-03)". Winrock International Forestry and Natural Resource Management Program. Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association. September 1989. Retrieved 2023-02-28.