Lycium pumilum

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Lycium pumilum
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Lycium
Species:
L. pumilum
Binomial name
Lycium pumilum

Lycium pumilum is a shrub in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) indigenous to South Africa and Namibia. [1]

Contents

Distribution

The species is widespread across the dry western interior parts of South Africa, specifically the Cape Provinces as well as the south western corner of the Free State Province. It also extends into southern Namibia. [2]

Description

Lycium pumilum is a small, stiff shrub. It has rigidly erect, but somewhat zig-zagging branches, that are covered in thorns that are of randomly varying lengths along the branch. The young stems are white-ish, while the older stems become dark glossy brown.

Like many other Lycium species, the leaves are oblong to narrowly-elliptic in shape. They are succulent but flattened. Their colour is faintly blue-green (glaucous).

The flowers emerge from the leaf axils. The corolla is campanulate (not tubular), with five large reflexed lobes (petals). The stamens are extended and very clearly exserted from the corolla mouth. The calyx is tubular-to-campanulate, with its length and width being almost equal. The calyx extends to cover two-thirds or more of the corolla tube (similar to that of Lycium ferocissimum ).

The fruits are small red or orange-red berries, that are round/spherical. [3]

Related Research Articles

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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 species, followed by North America and southern Africa. There are several scattered across Europe and Asia, and one is native to Australia. Common English names for plants of this genus include box-thorn and desert-thorn.

<i>Lycium chinense</i> Species of flowering plant

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References

  1. http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=2846-40
  2. Venter, A.M. (2000). Taxonomy of the Genus Lycium L. (Solanaceae) in Africa. Thesis (Ph.D. (Botany and Genetics))--University of the Free State. https://scholar.ufs.ac.za/handle/11660/1960?show=full
  3. Venter, A.M. (2000). Taxonomy of the Genus Lycium L. (Solanaceae) in Africa. Thesis (Ph.D. (Botany and Genetics))--University of the Free State. https://scholar.ufs.ac.za/handle/11660/1960?show=full