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''Lycium'' is a
genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...
of flowering plants in the nightshade
family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
,
Solanaceae The Solanaceae , or nightshades, are a family of flowering plants that ranges from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, and trees, and includes a number of agricultural crops, medicinal plants, spices, weeds, and o ...
. The genus has a
disjunct distribution In biology, a taxon with a disjunct distribution is one that has two or more groups that are related but considerably separated from each other geographically. The causes are varied and might demonstrate either the expansion or contraction of a s ...
around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in
temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...
and subtropical regions. South America has the most species, followed by North America and southern Africa. There are several scattered across Europe and Asia, and one is native to Australia.Fukuda, T., et al. (2001)
Phylogeny and biogeography of the genus ''Lycium'' (Solanaceae): Inferences from chloroplast DNA sequences.
''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' 19(2), 246-58.
Common English names for plants of this genus include box-thorn''Lycium''.
The Jepson eFlora 2013.
and desert-thorn. There are about 70 to 80''Lycium''.
Flora of China.
Levin, R. A. and J. S. Miller. (2005)
Relationships within tribe Lycieae (Solanaceae): paraphyly of ''Lycium'' and multiple origins of gender dimorphism.
''American Journal of Botany'' 92(12), 2044-53.
species. The most common are '' Lycium barbarum'' and '' Lycium chinense'', whose fruits (wolfberries or goji berries) are a traditional food crop in China.


Etymology

The generic name ''Lycium'' is derived from the Greek word λυκιον (''lykion''), which was applied by
Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic ...
(23-79) and
Pedanius Dioscorides Pedanius Dioscorides ( grc-gre, Πεδάνιος Διοσκουρίδης, ; 40–90 AD), “the father of pharmacognosy”, was a Greek physician, pharmacologist, botanist, and author of '' De materia medica'' (, On Medical Material) —a 5-vo ...
(ca. 40-90) to a plant known as dyer's buckthorn. It was probably a '' Rhamnus'' species and was named for
Lycia Lycia ( Lycian: 𐊗𐊕𐊐𐊎𐊆𐊖 ''Trm̃mis''; el, Λυκία, ; tr, Likya) was a state or nationality that flourished in Anatolia from 15–14th centuries BC (as Lukka) to 546 BC. It bordered the Mediterranean Sea in what is t ...
(Λυκία), the ancient southern
Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The r ...
n region in which it grew.Huxley, A., ed. (1992). ''New RHS Dictionary of Gardening''. Macmillan . The berry is called ''lycii fructus'' ("lycium fruit") in old
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power ...
pharmacological texts.


Description

''Lycium'' are shrubs, often thorny, growing 1 to 4 meters tall. The leaves are small, narrow, and fleshy, and are alternately arranged, sometimes in fascicles. Flowers are solitary or borne in clusters. The funnel-shaped or bell-shaped corolla is white, green, or purple in color. The fruit is a two-chambered, usually fleshy and juicy
berry A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, rasp ...
which can be red, orange, yellow, or black. It may have few seeds or many. Most ''Lycium'' have fleshy, red berries with over 10 seeds, but a few American taxa have hard fruits with two seeds. While most ''Lycium'' are
monoecious Monoecy (; adj. monoecious ) is a sexual system in seed plants where separate male and female cones or flowers are present on the same plant. It is a monomorphic sexual system alongside gynomonoecy, andromonoecy and trimonoecy. Monoecy i ...
, producing bisexual flowers with functional male and female parts, some species are gynodioecious, with some individuals bearing bisexual flowers and some producing functionally female flowers.


Uses

''Lycium'' has been known to European herbalists since ancient times, and species were traded from the
Far East The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons. The te ...
to Europe by the Romans, for example via Ariaca and the port of Barbarikon near today's
Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former ...
, as mentioned in the ''
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea The ''Periplus of the Erythraean Sea'' ( grc, Περίπλους τῆς Ἐρυθρᾶς Θαλάσσης, ', modern Greek '), also known by its Latin name as the , is a Greco-Roman periplus written in Koine Greek that describes navigation and ...
''. In his ''
Naturalis historia The ''Natural History'' ( la, Naturalis historia) is a work by Pliny the Elder. The largest single work to have survived from the Roman Empire to the modern day, the ''Natural History'' compiles information gleaned from other ancient authors. ...
'',
Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic ...
describes boxthorn as a medicinal plant, as does
Pedanius Dioscorides Pedanius Dioscorides ( grc-gre, Πεδάνιος Διοσκουρίδης, ; 40–90 AD), “the father of pharmacognosy”, was a Greek physician, pharmacologist, botanist, and author of '' De materia medica'' (, On Medical Material) —a 5-vo ...
in his ''P. Dioscoridae pharmacorum simplicium reique medicae''. In his 1753 publication ''
Species Plantarum ' (Latin for "The Species of Plants") is a book by Carl Linnaeus, originally published in 1753, which lists every species of plant known at the time, classified into genera. It is the first work to consistently apply binomial names and was the ...
'',
Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, t ...
describes three ''Lycium'' species: '' L. afrum'', '' L. barbarum'', and '' L. europaeum''.Hitchcock, C. L. (1932). A monographic study of the genus ''Lycium'' of the Western Hemisphere. ''Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden'' 19(2/3), 179-348 and 350-66. doi:10.2307/2394155 (First page image). ''Lycium'', particularly ''L. barbarum'', have long been used in
traditional Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medicine, alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. It has been described as "fraught with pseudoscience", with the majority of its treatments having no logica ...
. The leaves and roots of other species of ''Lycium'', such as ''L. europaeum'', when mixed with water, have been used in folk medicine. The fruit of ''L. barbatum'' and ''L. chinense'', known as goji berry, is commonly consumed as a dried fruit. The Chinese tonic ''gou qi zi'' ("wolfberry fruit") is made of the fruit of any of several ''Lycium'' species, and is used as a
dietary supplement A dietary supplement is a manufactured product intended to supplement one's diet by taking a pill, capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid. A supplement can provide nutrients either extracted from food sources or that are synthetic in orde ...
.


Ecology

''Lycium'' species mostly occur in
arid A region is arid when it severely lacks available water, to the extent of hindering or preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life. Regions with arid climates tend to lack vegetation and are called xeric or desertic. Most ...
and semi-arid climates, and a few are known from coastal zones in somewhat saline habitat types.
Invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species adv ...
include ''L. ferocissimum'', which was introduced to Australia and
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...
and has become a dense, thorny pest plant there. It injures livestock, harbors pest mammals and insects, and displaces native species.''Lycium ferocissimum'' (African boxthorn).
Invasive Species Compendium. CABI.


Selected species

Species include: * ''
Lycium acutifolium ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' * '' Lycium afrum'' L. – Kraal honey thorn * ''
Lycium ameghinoi ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' * '' Lycium amoenum'' * '' Lycium andersonii'' – Anderson boxthorn, water-jacket * ''
Lycium arenicola ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' * '' Lycium australe'' F.Muell. * '' Lycium barbarum'' – Barbary matrimony-vine, Chinese boxthorn, Duke of Argyll's teaplant, goji-berry, Himalayan goji, Tibetan goji * '' Lycium bosciifolium'' * '' Lycium berlandieri'' Dunal – Berlandier wolfberry * ''
Lycium brevipes ''Lycium brevipes'' is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family known by the common name Baja desert-thorn. It is native to northwestern Mexico and it occurs in California as far as the Sonoran Desert as well as some of the Channel I ...
'' – Baja desert-thorn * ''
Lycium californicum ''Lycium californicum'' is a spreading shrub in the nightshade family known by the common names California boxthorn and California desert-thorn. This plant, as ''Lycium californicum'' var. ''californicum'', is native to the Coastal sage scrub an ...
'' – California boxthorn, California desert-thorn * '' Lycium carolinianum'' Walter – Carolina desert-thorn, Christmas berry * '' Lycium chilense'' Bertero * '' Lycium chinense'' – Chinese teaplant, Chinese wolfberry, Chinese boxthorn * '' Lycium cinereum'' – Kriedoring * ''
Lycium cooperi ''Lycium cooperi'' is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family known by the common name peach thorn. It is native to the southwestern United States, where it grows in a variety of desert and mountain habitat types. This is a bushy, ...
'' – peachthorn, Cooper's wolfberry * '' Lycium decumbens'' * ''
Lycium depressum ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Solanum, nightshade family (biology), family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate climate, temperate and subtro ...
'' Stocks * '' Lycium eenii'' * '' Lycium europaeum'' L. – European teatree, European matrimony-vine * ''
Lycium exsertum ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' A.Gray – Arizona desert-thorn, littleleaf wolfberry * ''
Lycium ferocissimum ''Lycium ferocissimum'', the African boxthorn or boxthorn, is a shrub in the nightshade family (Solanaceae). The species is native to the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Free State provinces in South Africa and has become naturalised in Aust ...
'' – African boxthorn * ''
Lycium fremontii ''Lycium fremontii'' is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family, Solanaceae, that is native to northwestern Mexico and the southernmost mountains and deserts of California and Arizona in the United States. It often grows in areas wi ...
'' – Frémont's desert-thorn * ''
Lycium gariepense ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' * '' Lycium grandicalyx'' *''
Lycium hassei ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' – Santa Catalina Island desert-thorn * ''
Lycium horridum ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Solanum, nightshade family (biology), family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate climate, temperate and subtro ...
'' * ''
Lycium hirsutum ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most ...
'' * ''
Lycium intricatum ''Lycium intricatum'', the southern boxthorn, is a species of plants in the family Solanaceae The Solanaceae , or nightshades, are a family of flowering plants that ranges from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, ...
'' * ''
Lycium macrodon ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' A.Gray – desert wolfberry * ''
Lycium mascarenense ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' A.M. Venter & A.J. Scott (syn. ''L. tenue'' var. ''sieberi'') * ''
Lycium nodosum ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' * '' Lycium oxycarpum'' Dunal * ''
Lycium pallidum ''Lycium pallidum'' is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family known by the common names pale wolfberry and pale desert-thorn. It is native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. In Mexico it can be found in Sonora, ...
'' Miers – pale desert-thorn *'' Lycium parishii'' – Parish's desert-thorn * '' Lycium pilifolium'' *''
Lycium puberulum ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' – downy desert-thorn * '' Lycium pumilum'' * ''
Lycium ruthenicum ''Lycium ruthenicum'' (), is a flowering plant commonly known as Russian box thorn in the West. is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family which can be found in Central Asia, southern part of Russia, throughout Northwest China, Nort ...
'' Murray *''
Lycium savory ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' D. Jacobson – South America * ''
Lycium sandwicense ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' A.Gray – ''Ōhelo kai'', Hawaii desert-thorn * ''
Lycium schizocalyx ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' * ''
Lycium schweinfurthii ''Lycium schweinfurthii'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Solanaceae The Solanaceae , or nightshades, are a family of flowering plants that ranges from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, and trees, ...
'' * ''
Lycium shawii ''Lycium shawii'', desert thorn or Arabian boxthorn is a species of thorny shrub adapted to desert environments, and can be found throughout the Arabian peninsula, and some places in Africa. The thin leaved, rigid bush grows up to high, with a l ...
'' Roem. & Schult. – Arabian boxthorn *'' Lycium shockleyi'' – Shockley's desert-thorn * ''
Lycium sokotranum ''Lycium sokotranum'' is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family, Solanaceae, that is endemic to the Socotra archipelago in the Indian Ocean (Yemen). It is a spiny, much-branched shrub that is <2 m tall. It is widespread and often a ...
'' * ''
Lycium strandveldense ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' * '' Lycium tenue'' L. * ''
Lycium tenuispinosum ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' * '' Lycium tetrandrum'' *''
Lycium texanum ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' – Texas wolfberry * '' Lycium torreyi'' – Torrey's boxthorn, squawthorn *'' Lycium tweedianum'' – tropical desert-thorn * ''
Lycium villosum ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' *''
Lycium savory ''Lycium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most spec ...
'' D. Jacobson – South America


Formerly placed here

*'' Serissa japonica'' (Thunb.) Thunb. (as ''L. foetidum'' L.f. or ''L. japonicum'' Thunb.)


References


External links


Project Lycieae
Amherst College {{Taxonbar, from=Q3268411 Solanaceae genera