title: The ethnobotany of Christ's Thorn Jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi) in Israel.
abstract: This article surveys the ethnobotany of Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf. in the Middle East from various aspects: historical, religious, philological, literary, linguistic, as well as pharmacological, among Muslims, Jews, and Christians. It is suggested that this is the only tree species considered "holy" by Muslims (all the individuals of the species are sanctified by religion) in addition to its status as "sacred tree " (particular trees which are venerated due to historical or magical events related to them, regardless of their botanical identity) in the Middle East. It has also a special status as "blessed tree" among the Druze.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, 31905, Israel. adafni@research.haifa.ac.il
authors.forename: Amots
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dafni
authors.forename: Shay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Efraim
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lev
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002562:Ceremonial Behavior; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D019448:Ethnobotany / Q000266:history; D005260:Female; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000266:history; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D014197:Trees; D031957:Ziziphus