Скачать или смотреть 🌻⁸☆•⁴◇⁷■⁶ Black Goji Berry (Lycium ruthenicum) in Nightshade Family (Solanaceae)

▪︎ Black Goji Berry (Lycium ruthenicum) in Nightshade Family (Solanaceae) It can be seen growing wild along roadsides & saline deserts & sands at altitudes ranging from 400-3000 m in Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, South West Asia & in some parts of Europe. In India, it grows at high altitude areas of Kashmir.

Lycium from lykion term was used by ancient figures like Pliny the Elder and Pedanius Dioscorides to describe a thorny plant likely a species of buckthorn (Rhamnus) found in ancient region of Lycia (Southern Anatolia). • Linguistic Confusion: Lycium mistakenly linked to lycos 'wolf' leading to common name 'wolfberry' true botanical root is place name Lycia. Specific Epithet ruthenicum is a Neo-Latin geographical epithet meaning 'Russian or from Ruthenia' refers to native presence in southern part of Russia.

Russian Box Thorn, Black Goji Berry

Spiny shrub up to 1.8 m tall. Shoots are Greyish to White, hairless.

Leaves are 0.6-2.5 cm long, 1-1.5 mm broad, linear to spoon-shaped, fasciculate, cylindrical, blunt-tipped. Spines are up to 1 cm long.

Flowers appear either singly or in small clusters on pedicels (stalks) that are 5-10 mm long
● Corolla: Funnel-shaped (infundibuliform) & primarily pale Purple or Lilac in colour, often with clearly visible veins. Corolla tube is typically 5-7 mm long, with lobes (Petals) that are about ⅓ length of tube.
● Calyx: Bell-shaped (campanulate) or tubular, measuring 2.5-4 mm in length. It is irregularly 2-4 lobed & often sparsely ciliate (having tiny hairs) along edges.
● Androecium (Male Organs): 5 Stamens that are slightly protruding (exserted) fromflower throat. Filaments are slender & typically hairy at base.
● Gynoecium (Female Organs): Features a single central Pistil. Plant exhibits 2 flower morphs: Homostylous (Stamens & Pistil at similar heights) & Herkogamous (spatial separation between between their Anthers & Stigma)

Berry is spherical, 5-8 mm broad, Black. Seeds are kidney-shaped, about 2 mm long, Brown.

Flowering: June-August.

Medicinal uses: Plant is used as an ointment to treat blindness in Camels. Fruit of many members of this Genus is a very rich source of vitamins & minerals, especially in vitamins A, C & E, flavanoids & other bio-active compounds. It is also a fairly good source of essential fatty acids, which is fairly unusual for a fruit. It is being investigated as a food that is capable of reducing incidence of cancer & also as a means of halting or reversing growth of cancers.
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♠︎ Goji Berries or Wolfberries Primary Species - Following 3 species are most significant in East Asia for culinary & medicinal use:

▪︎¹ (Lycium barbarum) Barbary Wolfberry: Most widely grown & commercially available species, primarily from China's Ningxia province. Its berries are typically bright Red, sweet & are 'Superior-grade' used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
• Berry Color - Bright Orange-Red
• Fruit Taste - Sweeter
• Seeds - Small (approx. 2.5 mm²)
• Primary Use - Dried fruit (Superfood)

▪︎² (Lycium chinense) Chinese Wolfberry:
Often used for its leaves as a vegetable & for smaller, more tart berries. It is commonly found in southern China & other parts of East Asia like Japan & Korea.
• Berry Color - Orange-Red
• Fruit Taste - Less sweet/tart
• Seeds - Large (approx. 5 mm²)
• Primary Use - Leafy vegetable/Herbal tea

▪︎³ (Lycium ruthenicum) Black Goji Berry: Known as Russian Box-Thorn or Black Goji, this species produces deep Purple to Black berries. It is prized for its high content of anthocyanins, which provide potent antioxidant effects.
• Berry Color - Deep Black/Purple
• Fruit Taste - Sweet, tangy, pungent
• Seeds - Small
• Primary Use - High-antioxidant supplement

◇ Beyond primary 3, other regional species exist, many of which are wild or local ethnomedicine.
▪︎ Lycium europaeum: Native to Mediterranean region.
▪︎ Lycium americanum: Found in South America.
▪︎ Lycium shawii: Native to Africa.
▪︎ Lycium exsertum: A wild species found in desert Southwest of the United States.
▪︎ Lycium pallidum: Known as rabbit thorn, native to American Southwest & traditionally used by indigenous peoples.
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🌻⁸☆ Order Solanales • 4938, 168, T²⁹

•⁴ Family Solanaceae • 2800, 101 - Nightshades

◇¹ Subfamily Cestroideae • 276, 10
◇² Subfamily Duckeodendroideae • 1, 1
◇³ Subfamily Goetzeoideae • 12, 7
◇⁴ Subfamily Nicotianoideae • 139, 8
◇⁵ Subfamily Petunioideae • 170, 11
◇⁶ Subfamily Schizanthoideae • 14, 1
◇⁷ Subfamily Solanoideae • 2188, 63
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◇⁷ Subfamily Solanoideae • 2188, 63

■¹ Tribe Capsiceae • 184, 2
■² Tribe Datureae • 23, 3
■³ Tribe Hyoscyameae • 67, 9
■⁴ Tribe Jaboroseae • 23, 2
■⁵ Tribe Nicandreae • 3, 1
■⁶ Tribe Nolaneae • 184, 3
■⁷ Tribe Physalideae • 309, 29
■⁸ Tribe Salpichroeae • 19, 2
■⁹ Tribe Solandreae • 60, 10
■¹⁰ Tribe Solaneae • 1316, 2
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■⁶ Tribe Nolaneae • 184, 3

▪︎ Genus Lycium • 101 - Honey-thorn Bushes 🌼
Nolana • 69
Sclerophylax • 14
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