Simmondsia chinensis (Link) C.K.Schneider

Jojoba, Goatnut
Simmondsiaceae - Caryophyllales

[Plants of San Diego County HOME]

Protologue: Ill. Handb. Laubholzk. 2: 141 (1907)
Pronunciation: Sim-mónd-si-a chi-nén-sis
Etymology: after Thomas William Simmonds (1767-1804), an English botanist and physician
+ of or referring to China (but not native to China! The name was an accident. Johann Link, the author of the basionym,
Buxus chinensis Link, apparently misread a collection label citing "Calif", referring to California, as "China".)

Notes: Family and genus monotypic (only one species).
Simmondsia chinensis is cultivated in desert regions worldwide for jojoba oil, a liquid wax originally used as a
substitute for sperm whale oil, today used in personal care products,
and considered as a possible biofuel. Jojoba oil also has anti-viral properties!

Jepson eFlora Treatment

SD County Synoptic Voucher (female)
SD County Synoptic Voucher (male)

Distribution:
  
LEFT: S.D. County Plant Atlas (http://sdplantatlas.org). Note distribution both in coastal and desert regions, not in the intervening montane regions.
MIDDLE: CCH2 (http://cch2.org). RIGHT: POWO (http://plantsoftheworldonline.org). Accessed 21 Mar 2020.

Images:

Simmondsia chinensis
A dioecious shrub. Leaves are coriaceous, opposite, ca. elliptic.


Simmondsia chinensis
Male plant with male flowers.


Simmondsia chinensis
Male plant, later stage, anthers have dehisced.


Simmondsia chinensis
Female plant, with mature female flowers. Note green ovary.


Simmondsia chinensis
Female plant, with dried, mature fruits, described as a nut-like loculicidal capsule.