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Ziziphus lotus

(L.) Lam.

Jujube lotus, Lotus fruit

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(c) Juan Valentín, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Juan Valentín

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

(c) Juan Valentín, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

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Ziziphus lotus is a small deciduous tree in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae, native to the Mediterranean region, including the Sahara in Morocco and also Somalia. It is one of several species called "jujube", and is closely related to Z. jujuba, the true jujube.

Description

A low bush or shrub. It grows 2 m tall. The twigs are grey. The leaves have shallow, blunt teeth. It loses its leaves during the year. The fruit is slightly smaller than a jujube and less sweet. It is round and yellowish-orange to purple.

Edible Uses

The fresh and dried fruit are eaten raw. The fruit are occasionally made into bread or wine.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are occasionally eaten or made into bread or wine. The fresh and dried fruit are eaten raw.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a Mediterranean plant. It grows in dry habitats. It grows in the Sahel and Sahara in West Africa. It can grow in arid places.

Where It Grows

Africa, Algeria, Asia, Burkina Faso, Cyprus, Egypt, Europe, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Mediterranean, Middle East, Morocco, North Africa, Palestine, Portugal, Sahel, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Türkiye, West Africa, Western Sahara,

Cultivation

It can be grown as a hedge.

Other Information

It is cultivated.

Notes

This is the "lotus fruit" of ancient myths.

Nutrition

PartMoisturekJkcalProteinVit AVit CIronZinc
Fruit1.45.71.3

Synonyms

Rhamnus lotus L.

Also Known As

Arto, Azoguar, Cedra, Gonnara, N'bag, Sari hunnap, Sder, S'durr, Sedra, Sidir

References (29)

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