Lycium cinereum is a shrub in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) indigenous to southern Africa. It is widespread across South Africa, as well as southern Namibia and Botswana.[1][2]
Lycium cinereum is a small, stiff, very spiny shrub. It has rigidly erect-spreading, intricately-branching stems. The young stems are grey-white with striations, while the older stems become dark glossy brown.
Like many other Lycium species, the leaves are oblong to narrowly-elliptic in shape.
The flowers emerge from the leaf axils. The corolla is 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 is relatively short, and covers less than half of the corolla tube.
The fruits are small, ovoid, red berries.[3]
Lycium cinereum is frequently confused with several related species that co-occur with it in South Africa, including Lycium ferocissimum, Lycium horridum, Lycium pumilum, and Lycium tenue.
Some earlier authors treated several of these species names as synonymous with L. cinereum.[5]
Lycium cinereum is a shrub in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) indigenous to southern Africa. It is widespread across South Africa, as well as southern Namibia and Botswana.
