Lycium exsertum
Lycium puberulum
Arizona desert-thorn
downy desert-thorn, downy desert-thorn or wolfberry
blade spatulate, 5–25 × 3–10 mm, surfaces densely glandular-pubescent.
blade spatulate, 5–40 × 2.5–11 mm, glaucous, surfaces glabrous or pubescent.
2–3-flowered fascicles or solitary flowers.
2-flowered fascicles or solitary flowers.
3–6 mm.
1–4 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 campanulate, 4–8 mm, lobes ovate, length 1–2 times tube;
corolla pale purple to white with greenish lobes, tubular to funnelform, 7–13 mm, lobes 2–3 mm;
stamens included.
red, ovoid, 6–8 mm, fleshy.
pale orange-yellow, ovoid, constricted proximal to middle, 4–9 mm, glaucous, dry, hard.
20–35.
2–4.
= 48.
= 24.
Lycium exsertum
Lycium puberulum
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.)
Lycium puberulum is similar to L. cooperi and L. macrodon; it is restricted to the Chihuahuan Desert, occurring in western Texas and adjacent northern Mexico. In that region, L. pallidum is the most similar species, but it occurs at higher elevations, has much larger flowers, and its fruit is a fleshy berry versus the hardened fruit of L. puberulum.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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