Ziziphus oenopolia (L.) Mill.

 

Family: Rhamnaceae

Synonym: Rhamnus oenopolia L. 

Vernacular name: Cheriyalantha, Cheruthudali, Churimullu, Kothavalli, Kottaipazham,

 Habit: Climber

Habitat: Moist and dry deciduous forests, also in the plains

Distribution: China, Tropical Asia and Australia.

Flowering and Fruiting: November-March

Key identification features: Scandent shrubs with many recurved thorns and densely silky hairy branchlets. The leaves are alternate, ovate. Flowers appear in axillary clusters, with each flower being shortly pedicelled. Petals are clawed, concave, greenish yellow, obovate, and cuneate. Fruit is a drupe.

Uses: Its bark, leaves, and roots have been used in traditional medicine for treating ulcers, stomach aches, and asthma.

Ziziphus rugosa Lam.

 

Family: Rhamnaceae

Synonym: No Synonym

Vernacular name: Juli, Kottamullu, Malamthudali, Thodali, Cheruthudali

 Habit: Climbing shrub

Habitat: Grasslands and deciduous forests, also in the plains

Distribution:  South and South East Asia and China           

Flowering and Fruiting: November-July

Key identification features: It is a scandent shrub with recurved thorns. Its simple, alternate leaves are ovate-orbicular. The flowers cluster together and lack petals, while the disk has 5 lobes. The drupe is globose, either white or pink, with a thin stone housing a single seed.

Uses: A paste made from the bark is applied as a poultice on swollen gums and to toothaches.

Ziziphus mauritiana Lam.

 

Family: Rhamnaceae

Synonym: Sarcomphalus mauritianus (Lam.) Raf. 

Vernacular name: Badari, Badaram, Cherumali, Elentha, Jujuba, Ilantha, Kolam

Habit: Tree

Habitat: Dry deciduous and scrub forests

Distribution:  Old World Tropics

Flowering and Fruiting: December-April

Key identification features: The tree reaches a height of up to 10m with dark grey bark and features deep vertical cracks. The leaves are simple, alternate, and arranged in a distichous pattern. The lamina varies in shape, from ovate to elliptic-ovate. The greenish-yellow bisexual flowers form dense cymose axillary fascicles containing 15-20 flowers. The fruit.

Uses: The powdered sour item is used to mix with other curries. Pickles are also prepared with this fruit