0373 



BOX THORN. 



Family: SOLANACEAE. 



Reproductive system: PENTANDRY, MONOGYNY. 



The cultivated box thorn, Lycium barbarwn, Linn., originally from southern 

 Europe and North Africa, has long since spread into different regions of France where it 

 forms beautiful hedgerows during its flowering season. Its stems, about seven or eight 

 feet high, bear lots of long, flexible branches that have a few thorns. Several leaves, 

 oblong, pointed, and entire, are joined together at the base of the branch but they're 

 almost solitary at the ends. The flowers are whitish below and purple-red inside. They're 

 located at the axils of the leaves and suspended on long, usually slightly pendent 

 peduncles. The calyx is a single unit with two lips: one entire and one bifid. The corolla 

 is monopetalous, funnel-shaped, and its limb is divided into five lobes. The five stamens 

 are a little longer than the lobes of the corolla. They're inserted near the middle of the 

 tube and have a little tuft of hair at their base. The ovary is free. It's topped by a style and 

 a stigma. The fruit is an orange-red, slightly pointed oval berry. It contains several seeds 

 inserted into the septum. 



Several authorities have confused this bush with the European box thorn. 

 However there's a difference in the shape of its fruit, which is oval and almost pointed at 

 the tip, whereas that of the Eurpean box thorn is round like that of the currant bush. 



FLOWERS: all summer long. I've found it blooming in November 



