Taxonomic history
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Rhamnus spina-christi in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 195 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
Today: The current name for this species is Zizyphus spina-christa (L.) Desf.
original Latin diagnosis
Rhamnus aculeis geminatis rectis, foliis ovatis.
English translation
Rhamnus with prickles paired [and] straight; [and] with leaf blades ovate.
| Rhamnus | Rhamnus |
| with prickles | aculeis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun aculeus, -i |
| paired | geminatis - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective geminatus, -a, -um; modifies aculeis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| straight; | rectis - perfect passive participle, ablative plural masculine of third conjugation verb rego, regere, rexi, rectum; modifies aculeis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| with leaf blades | foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, folii |
| ovate. | ovatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective oblongus, -a, -um); modifies foliis |