Lycium exsertum
Lycium andersonii
Arizona desert-thorn
Anderson thornbush, Anderson's box-thorn, redberry desert-thorn, water jacket
blade spatulate, 5–25 × 3–10 mm, surfaces densely glandular-pubescent.
blade spatulate, 3–35 × 1–8 mm, fleshy to succulent, sometimes glaucous, surfaces glabrous or pubescent.
2–3-flowered fascicles or solitary flowers.
2-flowered fascicles or solitary flowers.
3–6 mm.
1–10 mm.
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.
4–5-merous;
calyx cupulate, 1.5–3 mm, lobe lengths 0.25 times tube;
corolla white to light purple, narrowly tubular-funnelform, 4–16 mm, lobes 1–2.5 mm, margins glabrous or sparsely ciliate;
stamens included or exserted.
red, ovoid, 6–8 mm, fleshy.
orange to red, ovoid, 3–8 mm, fleshy.
20–35.
50+.
= 48.
= 24.
Lycium exsertum
Lycium andersonii
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.)
F. Chiang Cabrera (1981) recognized three varieties of Lycium andersonii (var. andersonii, var. deserticola, var. wrightii) in the flora area; these varieties are based on corolla lobe number (four or five), flower size, and leaf size and shape. Distinctiveness of these varieties is unclear; these characters generally vary within most species and indeed within individuals.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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