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Berlandier wolfberry, Berlandier's wolfberry

Arizona desert-thorn

Habit Shrubs erect, 0.7–2.5 m; bark tan to gray to reddish or almost black; stems glabrous or pubescent. Shrubs erect, 1–4 m; bark dark gray to brown; stems densely glandular-pubescent.
Leaves

blade linear to spatulate, 1.5–15 × 1–4.5 mm, surfaces glabrous.

blade spatulate, 5–25 × 3–10 mm, surfaces densely glandular-pubescent.

Inflorescences

2–3-flowered fascicles or solitary flowers.

2–3-flowered fascicles or solitary flowers.

Pedicels

3–20 mm.

3–6 mm.

Flowers

4–5-merous;

calyx cupulate, 1–3 mm, lobe lengths 0.3 times tube;

corolla white to pale lavender, tubular to funnelform, 4–9 mm, lobe lengths 0.17–0.3 times tube;

stamens included to exserted.

bisexual or pistillate, 5-merous;

calyx tubular-campanulate, 2.5–6 mm, lobe lengths 0.25–0.5 times tube;

corolla greenish white to lavender, funnelform, 7–14 mm, lobes 1–2 mm;

stamens exserted 2–3+ mm in bisexual flowers.

Berries

orange to red, globose, 5 mm, fleshy.

red, ovoid, 6–8 mm, fleshy.

Seeds

50+.

20–35.

2n

= 24.

= 48.

Lycium berlandieri

Lycium exsertum

Phenology Flowering Jul–Sep. Flowering Jan–Apr.
Habitat Desert washes, rocky slopes, flats (Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts). Desert washes, bajadas (Sonoran Desert).
Elevation 300–900 m. (1000–3000 ft.) 300–1400 m. (1000–4600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NM; OK; TX; Mexico (Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Hidalgo, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas)
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[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; Mexico (Baja California, Sinaloa, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Within the flora area, Lycium berlandieri occurs in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas; it has been reported from western Oklahoma (Harmon and Jackson counties).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Populations of Lycium exsertum are morphologically gynodioecious (functionally dioecious), and plants are sexually dimorphic for flower size. Lycium exsertum can be differentiated from L. fremontii by its light purple pendent flowers, often considerably exserted stamens or stigma, and a more upland habitat.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 14. FNA vol. 14.
Parent taxa Solanaceae > Lycium Solanaceae > Lycium
Sibling taxa
L. andersonii, L. barbarum, L. brevipes, L. californicum, L. carolinianum, L. chinense, L. cooperi, L. exsertum, L. ferocissimum, L. fremontii, L. macrodon, L. pallidum, L. parishii, L. puberulum, L. shockleyi, L. texanum, L. torreyi
L. andersonii, L. barbarum, L. berlandieri, L. brevipes, L. californicum, L. carolinianum, L. chinense, L. cooperi, L. ferocissimum, L. fremontii, L. macrodon, L. pallidum, L. parishii, L. puberulum, L. shockleyi, L. texanum, L. torreyi
Synonyms L. berlandieri var. longistylum, L. berlandieri var. parviflorum, L. berlandieri var. peninsulare
Name authority Dunal in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle: Prodr. 13(1): 520. (1852) A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 20: 305. (1885)
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