Lycium

The generic name Lycium is derived from the Greek word λυκιον (lykion), which was applied by Pliny the Elder (23-79) and Pedanius Dioscorides (ca. 40–90) to a plant known as dyer's buckthorn. It was probably a Rhamnus species and was named for Lycia (Λυκία), the ancient southern Anatolian region in which it grew. The berry is called lycii fructus ("lycium fruit") in old Latin 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 which can be red, orange, yellow, or black. It may have few seeds or many. ==Uses==

Lycium has been known to European herbalists since ancient times, and species were traded from the Far East to Europe by the Romans, for example via Ariaca and the port of Barbarikon near today's Karachi, as mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. In his Naturalis historia, Pliny the Elder describes boxthorn as a medicinal plant, as does Pedanius Dioscorides in his P. Dioscoridae pharmacorum simplicium reique medicae. Lycium, particularly L. barbarum, have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine. 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. ==Ecology==

Lycium species mostly occur in arid and semi-arid climates, and a few are known from coastal zones in somewhat saline habitat types. ==Species==

'' '' 101 species are accepted. • Lycium acutifolium • Lycium afrum – Kraal honey thorn • Lycium amarum • Lycium ameghinoi • Lycium americanum • Lycium amoenum • Lycium anatolicum • Lycium andersonii – Anderson boxthorn, water-jacket • Lycium arenicola • Lycium armatum • Lycium arochae • Lycium athium • Lycium australe • Lycium barbarum – Barbary matrimony-vine, Chinese boxthorn, Duke of Argyll's teaplant, goji-berry, Himalayan goji, Tibetan goji • Lycium barbinodum • Lycium berlandieri – Berlandier wolfberry • Lycium boerhaviifolium • Lycium bosciifolium • Lycium brevipes – Baja desert-thorn • Lycium brevipes var. hassei – Santa Catalina Island desert-thorn • Lycium bridgesii • Lycium californicum – California boxthorn, California desert-thorn • Lycium carolinianum – Carolina desert-thorn, Christmas berry • Lycium cestroides • Lycium chanar • Lycium chilense • Lycium chinense – Chinese teaplant, Chinese wolfberry, Chinese boxthorn • Lycium ciliatum • Lycium cinereum – Kriedoring • Lycium confertum • Lycium cooperi – peachthorn, Cooper's wolfberry • Lycium cuneatum • Lycium cyathiforme • Lycium cylindricum • Lycium dasystemum • Lycium decumbens • Lycium densifolium • Lycium depressum • Lycium deserti • Lycium distichum • Lycium edgeworthii • Lycium eenii • Lycium europaeum – European teatree, European matrimony-vine • Lycium exsertum – Arizona desert-thorn, littleleaf wolfberry • Lycium ferocissimum – African boxthorn • Lycium flexicaule • Lycium fremontii – Frémont's desert-thorn • Lycium fuscum • Lycium gariepense • Lycium geniculatum • Lycium gilliesianum • Lycium glomeratum • Lycium grandicalyx • Lycium hantamense • Lycium hirsutum • Lycium horridum • Lycium humile • Lycium infaustum • Lycium intricatum • Lycium isthmense • Lycium kopetdaghi • Lycium leiospermum • Lycium leiostemum • Lycium macrodon – desert wolfberry • Lycium makranicum • Lycium martii • Lycium mascarenense • Lycium megacarpum • Lycium minimum • Lycium minutifolium • Lycium ningxiaense • Lycium oxycarpum • Lycium pallidum – pale desert-thorn • Lycium parishii – Parish's desert-thorn • Lycium petraeum • Lycium pilifolium • Lycium puberulum – downy desert-thorn • Lycium pubitubum • Lycium pumilum • Lycium qingshuigeense • Lycium rachidocladum • Lycium repens • Lycium ruthenicum • Lycium sandwicense – Ōhelo kai, Hawaii desert-thorn • Lycium schizocalyx • Lycium schreiteri • Lycium schweinfurthii • Lycium shawii – Arabian boxthorn • Lycium shockleyi – Shockley's desert-thorn • Lycium sokotranum • Lycium stenophyllum • Lycium strandveldense • Lycium tenue • Lycium tenuispinosum • Lycium tetrandrum • Lycium texanum – Texas wolfberry • Lycium torreyi – Torrey's boxthorn, squawthorn • Lycium truncatum • Lycium villosum • Lycium vimineum • Lycium yunnanense Formerly placed here • Buchozia japonica (as L. foetidum or L. japonicum ) ==References==