Ziziphus spina-christi
| Ziziphus spina-christi | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Spermatophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rhamnaceae |
| Genus: | Ziziphus |
| Species: | Z. spina-christi |
| Binomial name | |
| Ziziphus spina-christi | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Ziziphus spina-christi, known as the Christ's thorn jujube, is a thorny[3] and evergreen tree or plant.
Distribution and habitat
[edit]It is native to the Levant, East Africa, and Mesopotamia.[4]
Ecology
[edit]In the Levant, it grows in valleys up to an elevation of 500 metres (1,600 ft),[5] and is drought tolerant and heat-resistant.[6] The seed, contained within a small, oblong woody pit, is opened and eaten by local fauna, including the rock hyrax.
Uses
[edit]The ripe fruits are edible.[7]
Historically, it was utilized in ancient Egyptian medicine for its supposed anti-inflammatory properties, specifically in treating pain, swelling, and heat. An in vitro study has suggested that the plant might have anti-inflammatory properties, identifying active compounds such as epigallocatechin and gallocatechin that inhibit inflammatory pathways like NF-κB.[8]
In culture
[edit]In the Levant and wider Middle East, it is called sidr (associated with the lote tree of the Quran),[citation needed] and is common in the Jordan Valley and around Jerusalem,[9] as well as in the Hajar Mountains of the United Arab Emirates.[10] By some traditions, it was the tree from which the crown of thorns of Jesus was made.[11] Matthew George Easton argues that Z. spina-christi is too brittle to be bent into a crown, and suggests another local plant, Ziziphus lotus.[12]
The oldest known Z. spina-christi is located in Ir Ovot southern Israel.[13] It is estimated to be between 1500 and 2000 years old.[14][15] It is believed locally to be the very tree from which Jesus' crown of thorns was made.[16] It is the national tree of Qatar and the symbol of Arabah.[citation needed]
In the Philippines, the Blaan people called it dadiangas. This was the former name of the city of General Santos.[citation needed]
Gallery
[edit]
Wild tree in Iran
Thorns, Jardin des plantes, France
Blossom, Behbahan, Iran
Fruit, in Israel
Fruit, Behbahan, Iran
References
[edit]- ↑ Diop, F.N. (2020). "Ziziphus spina-christi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020 e.T19180920A136676175. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T19180920A136676175.en. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ↑ The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species, retrieved 30 January 2016
- ↑ American University of Beirut. Zizyphus spina christi (Christ's Thorn Jujube). Retrieved on 27 May, 2025
- ↑ Orwa; et al. (2009). "Zizyphus spina-Christi" (PDF). 5Agroforestry Database 4.0. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-02-12.
- ↑ Zohary M. (1972). Flora Palaestina. II. Jerusalem: The Israel Academy of Science and Humanities. pp. 307–308. Cited in Amots Dafni; Shay Levy & Efraim Lev (2005). "The ethnobotany of Christ's Thorn Jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi) in Israel". J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 1 8. doi:10.1186/1746-4269-1-8. PMC 1277088. PMID 16270941.
- ↑ World Agroforestry Centre. Zizyphus spina-christi. Retrieved on 31 May, 2023
- ↑ Reinhard Fichtl. "Christ's Thorn - Ziziphus spina-Christi". Bees for Development. Archived from the original on April 24, 2010.
- ↑ Kadioglu, Onat; Jacob, Stefan; Bohnert, Stefan; Naß, Janine; Saeed, Mohamed E M; Khalid, Hassan; Merfort, Irmgard; Thines, Eckhard; Pommerening, Tanja; Efferth, Thomas (April 2016). "Evaluating ancient Egyptian prescriptions today: Anti-inflammatory activity of Ziziphus spina-christi". Phytomedicine. 23 (4): 361–369. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2016.01.004. PMID 26969383.
- ↑ Easton (1893), p. 688, "It overruns a great part of the Jordan valley."
- ↑ Lancaster, William (2011). Honour is in contentment: life before oil in Ras al-Khaimah (UAE) and some neighbouring regions. Lancaster, Fidelity. Berlin: De Gruyter. p. 137. ISBN 978-3-11-022340-8. OCLC 763160662.
- ↑ "Ziziphus spina-christi". Flowersinisrael.com. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
- ↑ Easton (1893), p. 174.
- ↑ Bar-am, Aviva; Bar-am, Shmuel (15 November 2014). "Rooted in Israel's history, five remarkable trees". Times of Israel.
- ↑ "The "old man" of Hatzeva – the jujube tree at Hatzeva Spring". www.moag.gov.il. Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development.
- ↑ Grossman, Michelle Malka (24 January 2016). "Israeli trees get IDs with interactive heritage project". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
- ↑ Sutton, Candace (20 April 2019). "The real story of Jesus Christ's crown of thorns". news.com.au. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
Bibliography
[edit]- Easton, M.G. (1893). Illustrated Bible Dictionary and Treasury of Biblical History, Biography, Geography, Doctrine, and Literature: With Numerous Illustrations and Important Chronological Tables and Maps. London, Edinburgh and New York: T. Nelson and Sons.
- Ziziphus spina-christi in West African plants – A Photo Guide.
External links
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