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Title: PROPOSAL TO CONSERVE THE NAME ZIZIPHUS JUJUBA AGAINST Z. ZIZYPHUS (RHAMNACEAE)

Author
item Kirkbride, Joseph
item Wiersema, John

Submitted to: Taxon
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/20/2006
Publication Date: 9/21/2006
Citation: Kirkbride, J.H. Jr., Wiersema, J.H., Turland, N.J. 2006. Proposal to conserve the name Ziziphus Jujuba against z. zizyphus (Rhamnaceae). Taxon. 55(4):1049-1050.

Interpretive Summary: Jujube or Chinese jujube is a wide spread, Old World fruit tree that is cultivated in temperate and subtemperate areas all over the world. Its propagation qualities are outstanding. It is highly tolerant of drought conditions, and only requires regular watering to ensure a high quality fruit crop. Fruit is set without pollination, and there are no serious disease, insect, or nematode pests in the USA. The scientific name traditionally used for jujube is Ziziphus jujuba; an Internet search revealed more than 37,700 uses of this scientific name. In the flora of Cyprus, it was shown that the correct scientific name of jujube is Ziziphus zizyphus; an Internet search revealed only 445 uses of the correct scientific name. Preservation of Ziziphus jujuba is proposed to avoid confusion in the scientific names.

Technical Abstract: Ziziphus jujuba Mill. (Rhamnaceae), jujube or Chinese jujube, is a widely cultivated fruit tree that originated in Asia and is now cultivated in all the temperate and sub temperate areas of the world. It was published in the 8th edition of Philip Miller’s Gardner’s Dictionary in 1768. Rhamnus zizyphus L., the basionym of Ziziphus zizyphus (L.) H. Karsten, was published in the first edition of Species plantarum in 1753. Rhamnus zizyphus and Z. jujuba are taxonomically synonymous, so the correct scientific name of the species is Z. zizyphus. The two names are lectotypified, and conservation of Z. jujube against Z. zizyphus is proposed so that the scientific name Z. jujuba can continue to be used for the species.