Goji, goji berry, or wolfberry is the sweet fruit of either Lycium barbarum or Lycium chinense, two closely related species of boxthorn in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. L. barbarum and L. chinense fruits are similar but can be distinguished by differences in taste and sugar content.
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, wolfberry, and desert-thorn. There are about 70 to 80 species.
Lycium barbarum is a shrub native to China, with present-day range across Asia and southeast Europe. It is one of two species of boxthorn in the family Solanaceae from which the goji berry or wolfberry is harvested, the other being Lycium chinense.
Lycium chinense is one of two species of boxthorn shrub in the family Solanaceae. Along with Lycium barbarum, it produces the goji berry ("wolfberry"). Two varieties are recognized, L. chinense var. chinense and L. chinense var. potaninii. It is also known as Chinese boxthorn, Chinese matrimony-vine, Chinese teaplant, Chinese wolfberry, wolfberry, and Chinese desert-thorn.
Psiadia schweinfurthii is an extinct species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It was found only in Yemen.
Andrachne schweinfurthii is a species of plant in the family Phyllanthaceae. It is endemic to Yemen. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and rocky areas.
Lycium californicum is a spreading shrub in the nightshade family known by the common names California boxthorn and California desert-thorn.
Lycium andersonii is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Its common names include water-jacket, redberry desert-thorn, Anderson thornbush, Anderson's desert thorn, Anderson boxthorn, Anderson lycium, Anderson wolfberry, and squawberry.
Lycium ferocissimum, the African boxthorn or boxthorn, is a shrub in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) indigenous to South Africa.
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, Chihuahua, Zacatecas, and San Luis Potosi. In the United States it occurs from California to Texas and as far north as Utah and Colorado.
Lycium afrum, the kraal honey thorn is a shrub in the potato family (Solanaceae), indigenous to the Western Cape Province, South Africa.
The Solanaceae, or the 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 ornamentals. Many members of the family contain potent alkaloids, and some are highly toxic, but many—including tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, bell and chili peppers—are used as food. The family belongs to the order Solanales, in the asterid group and class Magnoliopsida (dicotyledons). The Solanaceae consists of about 98 genera and some 2,700 species, with a great diversity of habitats, morphology and ecology.
Lycium australe, the Australian boxthorn, is a native Australian plant with large sharp woody spines, small leaves and very small berries. It is closely related to Lycium ferocissimum, which is listed as an invasive weed in Australia, New Zealand and Cyprus.
Hypericum lycium is a species of flowering plant in the family Hypericaceae which is endemic to Turkey.
Lycium europaeum, the European tea tree, European box‑thorn, or European matrimony‑vine, is a species of flowering plant in the family Solanaceae. It is native to the entire Mediterranean region, and has been introduced to the Canary Islands, Madeira, and the Balearic Islands. Its fruit is edible.
Berberis lycium, called the Indian lycium, Indian barberry, or boxthorn barberry, is a species of flowering plant in the family Berberidaceae. It is native to mountain slopes of the northwestern part of the Indian Subcontinent. A widespread species, its fruit, called kasmal, is edible and is eaten fresh, cooked, and preserved.
Lycium intricatum, the southern boxthorn, is a species of plant in the family Solanaceae (nightshades).
