Example ⟳ +
An example collection, so you can see what this page does. Nothing added here is kept: leaving deletes it.

Lycium boerhaviifolium L.f.

Solanaceae · Mexico Central, Mexico Southwest +12

English names not checked: Wikidata's common names were not read for this page.

Photographs not checked iNaturalist and GBIF media were skipped (not asked) when this page was built. Not asked, or not answered, is not "none": nothing here claims there is none. Why the site says it this way.
Add one to my plants
Sow seed
Habitat figuresfrom few records
Cold floor (1 night in 100)
3.1°C
Record low -1.3 °C in 44 years, at a typical spot in the range NASA POWER
Warmest month, mean daily high
27°C
Feb and Mar at the habitat CHELSA
Rain a year (median across the range)
832mm
9 months of 25 mm or more in the median year CHELSA
Open-sky light
32–42DLI
Lowest to highest month (DLI) CHELSA
The year in your months, northern hemisphere
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec
Wet summers: the rain comes June to October (December to April at the habitat), read as a summer growing season. rain rule, CHELSA
Northern hemisphere unless you set your site. The chart is in the habitat's months.

From few records: 3 records in 3 grid cells. The records.

About the genus · Lycium

Lycium is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution around the globe, with species occurring on most continents in temperate and subtropical regions. South America has the most species, followed by North America and southern Africa. More on Wikipedia ›

Quoted from Wikipedia, "Lycium", CC BY-SA 4.0.

Cultivation

Seasons

The rain rule reads a summer growing season: 70% of the median year's rain (526 mm of 743 mm) falls in December to April, warmer than the year (wet-season mean 24.0 °C against a yearly mean of 21.6 °C). Months are the habitat's, southern hemisphere; shifted six months for a northern-hemisphere collection: June to October.

Rain

743 mm in the median year at the habitat, 526 mm of it December to April. Wettest month January at 136 mm, driest month July at 17 mm. Across the grid cells of the range the year's total runs 216 mm to 972 mm, the 10th to 90th percentile of each cell's own year. The median of the cells' own yearly totals, 832 mm, is the year's rain at the top of the page; the 743 mm here is the median year's, the twelve monthly medians added, which the rain rule reads. Habitat calendar, southern hemisphere; median year across the grid cells of the range, CHELSA.

Light

Open sky over the habitat: 32 to 42 mol/m²/day across the year (daily light integral, median year across the grid cells of the range, CHELSA; the lowest 10th-percentile month across the cells is 20, the highest 90th-percentile month 44).

Warmth and air
Temperature

Coldest: the 1st-percentile night over 44 years at a typical spot in the range is 3.1 °C, the absolute minimum -1.3 °C, 18 frost nights in 44 years (NASA POWER daily minima). Warmest: the 99th-percentile day is 42.7 °C. Monthly means: the coldest month's mean nightly low 15.1 °C in July and August (across the grid cells of the range 13.7 °C to 20.4 °C), the warmest month's mean daily high 26.7 °C in March (median year across the grid cells of the range, CHELSA). Cold floor: 3.1 °C, which is the 1st-percentile night over 44 years at a typical spot in the range (NASA POWER).

Humidity

Relative humidity at the habitat: 64 to 67% across the year (monthly means, median year across the grid cells of the range, CHELSA). A figure about the air, saying nothing about how the plant takes water.

How this section is made

Each card states this species' habitat figures with their sources, and what two fixed rules read from them; nothing here says what the plant does, wants or tolerates. The rules · the terms.

Seasons. Read from the median year of CHELSA monthly rainfall and mean temperature across the grid cells of the range: the rain rule takes the smallest set of months carrying 70% of the rain and calls it winter when its mean is more than half a degree below the year's, summer when more than that above, and neither in between; the temperature rule, used only under 120 mm, names the cooler six months when they are at least a degree cooler than the other six. Months are shifted for the other hemisphere only where the temperature curve moves 4 °C or more and the habitat lies 10° or more from the equator. A reading of the curves, not an observation of the plant.

Rain. CHELSA monthly precipitation, median year across the grid cells of the range. The rain that falls where the species is recorded; nothing about how the plant takes water.

Light. CHELSA shortwave radiation at each envelope cell, a daily-mean flux taken to a daily total and converted at 2.07 mol of PAR per MJ. The sky over the habitat, measured; what reaches a plant under a rock, a shrub or a shade cloth is not.

Temperature. NASA POWER daily minima and maxima over 44 years at a typical spot in the range, lapse-corrected +9 m to its elevation; CHELSA monthly means, median year across the grid cells of the range. The cold floor is the 1st-percentile night named in its sentence. Not a measured survival limit for any plant in a pot.

Humidity. CHELSA relative humidity, median year across the grid cells of the range.

Climate across the habitat

From few records: this habitat climate is read from 3 records in 3 grid cells; a page says so under 12 records or 5 cells, and shows the figures as read.

Habitat months, southern hemisphere

Habitat climate of Lycium boerhaviifolium through the yearWarmest months February and March, mean daily high 27 °C; coldest months July and August, mean nightly low 15.1 °C; 743 mm of rain in the median year (the twelve monthly medians added). Medians across the range, from CHELSA; the extremes at the edge from NASA POWER. Habitat months, southern hemisphere.-10°0°10°20°30°40°50°frost42.7° 99th-percentile day, NASA POWER-1.3° lowest night in 44 years, NASA POWER°C · day and nightcold quarter050100150200mm rainDLI 32–42RH 64–67%JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
day night rain medians and 10th–90th percentile across 3 habitat cells, CHELSA cold quarter: the three months around the coldest month's mean nightly low extremes over 44 years at a typical spot in the range, from NASA POWER, marked at the edge, in no month DLI, mol/m²/dayRH %each on its own scale
Figures by month
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day °C26 / 25–3227 / 26–3127 / 26–3026 / 25–2724 / 23–2422 / 22–2322 / 21–2221 / 21–2521 / 21–2622 / 22–2923 / 22–3025 / 23–31
Night °C24 / 21–2423 / 21–2422 / 21–2419 / 19–2317 / 16–2316 / 15–2115 / 14–2015 / 15–2017 / 15–2020 / 16–2121 / 17–2222 / 19–23
Rain mm136 / 34–142125 / 39–127113 / 37–15194 / 24–10349 / 11–6422 / 4–4117 / 3–3920 / 4–3234 / 8–3838 / 9–6737 / 10–10958 / 15–113
DLI41 / 39–4238 / 38–4138 / 34–4237 / 28–4035 / 23–3732 / 20–3433 / 23–3436 / 28–3739 / 32–4040 / 36–4339 / 39–4442 / 39–43
RH %66 / 59–7165 / 60–6964 / 61–6865 / 63–7166 / 63–7067 / 62–6966 / 60–6866 / 57–6966 / 56–6966 / 58–6866 / 58–6866 / 59–70
How this section is made
Each figure is the median across the 3 grid cells holding the 3 in-range records, with the 10th–90th percentile span across those cells after the slash where it differs. A dash is a month one or more of those cells has no figure for in the grid (a variable CHELSA does not carry there), so no median is taken rather than one over fewer cells. Extremes and elevation were read at a typical spot in the range, cell 2286:2394 (-24.325, -60.275). Over 44 years there: absolute minimum -1.3 °C, 1st-percentile night 3.1 °C, 99th-percentile day 42.7 °C. Normals: CHELSA V2.1 1981–2010 climatology, 0.05° cells (each the mean of ~36 1 km pixels). Across the range: median and 10th–90th percentile of each month across the 3 distinct grid cells holding 3 of the 3 in-range records; extremes and elevation at the typical cell 2286:2394 (its coldest month's mean nightly low nearest the median across cells); its position is the cell centre. Extremes: NASA POWER (MERRA-2) daily 1981–2024, cell -24.50_-60.000, lapse-corrected +9 m at 6.5 °C/km. Elevation: ETOPO 2022, 132 m (cell mean).

Natural habitat

Native range as published by WCVP; the marker is where the records are densest and decides nothing: the climate was read across the cells of the in-range records placed well enough to read one, not at the marker.
Openly licensed records inside the range, framed on where they fall.

This species has no GBIF key of its own. Its records are GBIF's under the keys of the names Kew's World Checklist holds as this plant: 3803295 (Grabowskia obscura Dunal, 0 records), 7300190 (Grabowskia boerhaviifolia (L.fil.) Lindl., 6 records), 7425865 (Grabowskia boerhaviifolia (L.fil.) Schltdl., 81 records). No name was matched to GBIF; the keys are read from Kew's synonymy. How.

NativeMexico Central, Mexico Southwest, Bolivia, Ecuador, Galápagos, Peru, Brazil West-Central, Brazil South, Argentina Northeast, Argentina South, Argentina Northwest, Chile North, Paraguay, Uruguay · regions are the level-3 units of the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, as Kew's World Checklist records ranges, some under historical names such as Yugoslavia or Czechoslovakia (how).
Map marker-27.532, -66.349 · in the densest population, 16 records (26% of those in range)
Kew's description“shrub” · “subtropical” · quoted from WCVP, RBG Kew (CC BY 4.0); not derived here
Evidence usedThe map marker rests on all 61 georeferenced records inside the native range; the climate across the range on the 3 of them placed to within 10 km; the map shows only the 58 openly licensed ones, which alone would put the marker in the same place. 1 record outside the WCVP native range not used. Under a dozen records behind the climate. 58 in-range records are placed to worse than 10 km, or with no stated accuracy (admitted only as a person's observation to three decimals), and stay on the map but off the climate.
Other GBIF keysRecords also from GBIF's key 3803295 (Grabowskia obscura Dunal): Kew's file holds it as Grabowskia obscura Dunal (orthographic under Lycium boerhaviifolium L.f.); 0 records, from GBIF's search API on the day of the build.Records also from GBIF's key 7300190 (Grabowskia boerhaviifolia (L.fil.) Lindl.): Kew's file holds it as Grabowskia boerhaviifolia (L.f.) Schltdl. (synonym under Lycium boerhaviifolium L.f.); 6 records, from GBIF's download.Records also from GBIF's key 7425865 (Grabowskia boerhaviifolia (L.fil.) Schltdl.): Kew's file holds it as Grabowskia boerhaviifolia (L.f.) Schltdl. (synonym under Lycium boerhaviifolium L.f.); 81 records, from GBIF's download.
How this section is made
The map marker: the openly licensed record nearest the middle of the densest 1° population of the 61 in-range records; it decides nothing. Records outside the native range, living specimens and records marked introduced are not used; which records count.

Photographs

Not checked. iNaturalist and GBIF media were skipped (not asked) when this page was built. Not a statement that none exist.

Similar habitat climate The 6 nearest by mean daily high, mean nightly low and rain, month by month. How.

Coleotrype natalensis Coleotrype natalensis Commelinaceae Photo: CC BY-SA, Margaret BurgerDeinbollia oblongifolia Deinbollia oblongifolia Dune soapberry Photo: CC BY-SA, Mmatjie MashaoSearsia nebulosa Searsia nebulosa Coastal Crowberry Photo: CC BY, Sunčana BradleySclerocroton integerrimus Sclerocroton integerrimus Duiker Berry Photo: CC BY-SA, Tony RebeloBarleria repens Barleria repens Coral Creeper Photo: CC BY, nebrooksXylotheca kraussiana Xylotheca kraussiana African Dog Rose Photo: CC BY, Presha Soogrim

Other Lycium 26 in the reference

Lycium afrum Lycium afrum Kaffir boxthorn Photo: CC BY, De Waal HugoLycium andersonii Lycium andersonii Water-jacket Photo: CC BY, Sue CarnahanLycium barbarum Lycium barbarum Duke of Argyll's teaplant Photo: CC BY, agujaceratopsLycium berlandieri Lycium berlandieri Berlandier wolfberry Photo: CC BY, Rachel StringhamLycium brevipes Lycium brevipes Baja desert-thorn Photo: CC BY, Marc Fradera-SolerLycium californicum Lycium californicum California boxthorn Photo: CC BY, Konshau DumanLycium carolinianum Lycium carolinianum Christmasberry Photo: CC BY, Kristály Cravens-LiszakLycium cestroides Lycium cestroides Herzog cestrum Photo: CC BY, RAPLycium chilense Lycium chilense Solanaceae Photo: CC BY, Víctor Sarabia SánchezLycium chinense Lycium chinense Chinese teaplant Photo: CC BY, Hibiki KatayamaLycium ciliatum Lycium ciliatum Solanaceae Photo: CC BY, Marcos GramagliaLycium cinereum Lycium cinereum Blue Honeythorn Photo: CC0, author not stated all 27 ›

Names & registers

Also known as Ehretia duplicata; Pukanthus odoratus; Lycium heterophyllum; Ehretia halimifolia; Grabowskia duplicata and 15 more. (WCVP, RBG Kew)

IPNIPOWOWikidataWFO

The record

Family
Solanaceae
Described by
L.f.
Native to
Mexico Central, Mexico Southwest, Bolivia +11
Wild records
61 in range · 58 open

Every figure here is derived from public data by a stated rule and names its source; nothing about this species is written for its page by a person or by AI, apart from the marked, credited quotations. How →

Where this page came from built 2026-10-22
Kew's names (WCVP) kew.names answeredas of 2026-06-04Kew's entry Lycium boerhaviifolium L.f. (plant_name_id 2499122), read from Kew's names file
GBIF species record gbif.species not askedGBIF's backbone holds no one accepted species of this name, and a name it holds only as another species' synonym is not taken for this one, so GBIF's records were not asked
GBIF synonyms gbif.synonyms not askedGBIF's backbone holds no one accepted species of this name, and a name it holds only as another species' synonym is not taken for this one, so GBIF's records were not asked
GBIF common names gbif.vernacular not askedGBIF's backbone holds no one accepted species of this name, and a name it holds only as another species' synonym is not taken for this one, so GBIF's records were not asked
WCVP native range wcvp.distribution answeredas of 2026-06-04
GBIF occurrence records gbif.occurrences answeredasked 2026-10-22this species has no GBIF key of its own; its records are read under GBIF's keys for the names Kew's file holds as this plant, never by a name matched; GBIF occurrence download https://doi.org/10.15468/dl.hbdw64, of 2026-10-21; 0 records of GBIF's key 3803295, Grabowskia obscura Dunal (Kew's file holds it as Grabowskia obscura Dunal (orthographic under Lycium boerhaviifolium L.f.)): GBIF occurrence search API; 6 records of GBIF's key 7300190, Grabowskia boerhaviifolia (L.fil.) Lindl. (Kew's file holds it as Grabowskia boerhaviifolia (L.f.) Schltdl. (synonym under Lycium boerhaviifolium L.f.)): the GBIF download; 81 records of GBIF's key 7425865, Grabowskia boerhaviifolia (L.fil.) Schltdl. (Kew's file holds it as Grabowskia boerhaviifolia (L.f.) Schltdl. (synonym under Lycium boerhaviifolium L.f.)): the GBIF download; 1 record within 1 km of a botanic garden, herbarium or zoo left out (1 at a botanic garden or arboretum; Wikidata's list)
Habitat climate climate answeredasked 2026-10-22
Daily extremes (NASA POWER) climate.extremes answeredasked 2026-10-22NASA POWER (MERRA-2) daily 1981–2024, cell -24.50_-60.000, lapse-corrected +9 m at 6.5 °C/km
Wikidata wikidata answeredasked 2026-10-22found by Kew's IPNI identifier 816365-1, POWO 816365-1
Wikipedia wikipedia nothing to reportasked 2026-10-22
iNaturalist taxon inat.taxon not asked
iNaturalist photographs, wild inat.photos.wild not asked
iNaturalist photographs, cultivated inat.photos.cultivated not asked
GBIF media gbif.media not askedGBIF's backbone holds no one accepted species of this name, and a name it holds only as another species' synonym is not taken for this one, so GBIF's records were not asked
Wikimedia Commons commons nothing to reportasked 2026-10-22
OpenAlex papers openalex not askednot yet asked for this reference; a later fill takes the papers from OpenAlex's snapshot

Every source is recorded as having answered, reported nothing, refused, failed, not been asked, or answered twice where one answer is taken (“not taken: two items answered”), and, for a source asked when this page was built, when: the figures are as the source held them that day; a source read from a file (Kew's World Checklist, a GBIF download) says "as of" the file's day instead; a row carried from an earlier build of the page names that build instead. Only “nothing to report” is ever shown as an absence. Records came from 15 datasets via GBIF.org; each carries its own licence.

Cultifolio

Opening your plants…