Lycium chinense Mill. Common names - wolfberry, Chinese wolfberry, tibetan gogi berry, chinese boxthorn, chinese desert-thorn, chinese matrimony vine. Family - Solanaceae. Synonyms - Lycium chinense var. ovatum (Poir.) C. K. Schneid. [= Lycium chinense var. chinense], Lycium ovatum Loisel. [≡ Lycium chinense var. chinense], Lycium potaninii Pojark. [≡ Lycium chinense var. potaninii].

Answer

Score

1.01

Is the species highly domesticated? (If answer is 'no' then go to question 2.01)

n

0

1.02

Has the species become naturalized where grown?

1.03

Does the species have weedy races?

2.01

Species suited to tropical or subtropical climate(s) (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) – If island is primarily wet habitat, then substitute “wet tropical” for “tropical or subtropical”

2

2.02

Quality of climate match data (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) see appendix 2

1

2.03

Broad climate suitability (environmental versatility)

y

1

2.04

Native or naturalized in regions with tropical or subtropical climates

y

1

2.05

Does the species have a history of repeated introductions outside its natural range? y=-2

y

3.01

Naturalized beyond native range y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2), n= question 2.05

y

2

3.02

Garden/amenity/disturbance weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n

0

3.03

Agricultural/forestry/horticultural weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n

0

3.04

Environmental weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n

0

3.05

Congeneric weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

y

2

4.01

Produces spines, thorns or burrs

y

1

4.02

Allelopathic

n

0

4.03

Parasitic

n

0

4.04

Unpalatable to grazing animals

4.05

Toxic to animals

n

0

4.06

Host for recognized pests and pathogens

y

1

4.07

Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans

n

0

4.08

Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems

4.09

Is a shade tolerant plant at some stage of its life cycle

n

0

4.1

Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions (or limestone conditions if not a volcanic island)

y

1

4.11

Climbing or smothering growth habit

n

0

4.12

Forms dense thickets

n

0

5.01

Aquatic

n

0

5.02

Grass

n

0

5.03

Nitrogen fixing woody plant

n

0

5.04

Geophyte (herbaceous with underground storage organs -- bulbs, corms, or tubers)

n

0

6.01

Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat

n

0

6.02

Produces viable seed.

y

1

6.03

Hybridizes naturally

6.04

Self-compatible or apomictic

6.05

Requires specialist pollinators

n

0

6.06

Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation

n

-1

6.07

Minimum generative time (years) 1 year = 1, 2 or 3 years = 0, 4+ years = -1

3

0

7.01

Propagules likely to be dispersed unintentionally (plants growing in heavily trafficked areas)

n

-1

7.02

Propagules dispersed intentionally by people

y

1

7.03

Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant

n

-1

7.04

Propagules adapted to wind dispersal

n

-1

7.05

Propagules water dispersed

n

-1

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y

1

7.07

Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)

n

-1

7.08

Propagules survive passage through the gut

y

1

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

y

1

8.02

Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr)

8.03

Well controlled by herbicides

8.04

Tolerates, or benefits from, mutilation, cultivation, or fire

8.05

Effective natural enemies present locally (e.g. introduced biocontrol agents)

Total score:

8

Notes

Reference

1.01

No evidence.

1.02

1.03

2.01

(1)"Native:
ASIA-TEMPERATE
Mongolia: Mongolia [s.]
China: China - Anhui, Fujian, Gansu [s.], Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Monggol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Yunnan, Zhejiang
Eastern Asia: Japan - Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, Ryukyu Islands, Shikoku; Korea; Taiwan
ASIA-TROPICAL
Indo-China: Thailand."
(2)"Slopes, wastelands, saline places, roadsides, near houses. Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand; SW Asia, Europe]." (3)"Lycium is a genus of about 100 species native to temperate regions of the Old and New World."

(1)http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl (2)http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200020538 (3)Staples, W George and Derral H Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora. Bishop Museum Press. Honolulu. Hawaii. Page 540.

2.02

(1)naturalized elsewhere (2)"Naturalized in Britain, especially by the sea. (2)Cultivated in Hawaii.

(1)http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl (2)http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Lycium+chinense (3)Staples, W George and Derral H Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora. Bishop Museum Press. Honolulu. Hawaii.

2.03

(1)It is hardy to zone 6. (2)Hardiness:
USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6° C (-25° F)
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8° C (-20° F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1° C (-15° F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3° C (-10° F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5° C (-5° F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7° C (0° F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9° C (5° F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2° C (10° F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4° C (15° F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6° C (20° F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8° C (25° F)

(1)http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Lycium+chinense (2)http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/63947/

2.04

(1)"Native:
ASIA-TEMPERATE
Mongolia: Mongolia [s.]
China: China - Anhui, Fujian, Gansu [s.], Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Monggol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Yunnan, Zhejiang
Eastern Asia: Japan - Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, Ryukyu Islands, Shikoku; Korea; Taiwan
ASIA-TROPICAL
Indo-China: Thailand."
(2)"Slopes, wastelands, saline places, roadsides, near houses. Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand; SW Asia, Europe]." (3)"Lycium is a genus of about 100 species native to temperate regions of the Old and New World." (4)"Naturalized in Britain, especially by the sea. (4)Naturalized in eastern United States. [Native and naturalized in temperate regions. Cultivated but no evidence of naturalization in tropics or subtropics].

(1)http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl (2)http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200020538 (3)Staples, W George and Derral H Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora. Bishop Museum Press. Honolulu. Hawaii. Page 540. (4)http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=LYCIU (5)http://www.wpro.who.int/internet/files/pub/97/169.pdf

2.05

(1)naturalized elsewhere (2)"Naturalized in Britain, especially by the sea. (3)Introduced to several states in the U.S. (4)Cultivated in Hawaii.

(1)http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl (2)http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Lycium+chinense (3)http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=LYCIU (4)Staples, W George and Derral H Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora. Bishop Museum Press. Honolulu. Hawaii.

3.01

(1)naturalized elsewhere (2)"Naturalized in Britain, especially by the sea. (3)Naturalized in eastern United States. (4) Naturalized in Illinois

(1)http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl (2)http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Lycium+chinense (3)http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=LYCIU (4)http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/~kenr/woody.html

3.02

"Elizabeth Young reports that : "...in North Oxfordshire the Chinese tea plant is an awful nuisance, self seeding into the top of dry stone walls and then putting down such huge roots that it can bring down the walls." [No further evidence].

http://www.floralimages.co.uk/plyciuchine.htm

3.03

No evidence

3.04

No evidence

3.05

(1)Lycium ferocissimum is listed as a 'Principal' weed in Australia. (2)"Scientific name: Lycium ferocissimum Miers
Boxthorn plant
Common Name: Boxthorn
Status:
Schedule 2. Regionally Prohibited weed for the North East CMA. Regionally Controlled weed in the Mallee, Wimmera, Glenelg-Hopkins, North Central, Corangamite, Port Phillip & Westernport (West & East), Goulburn Broken, West and East Gippsland CMAs. Nominated as a Regional priority weed by the Mallee and North Central CMAs."
Preferred habitat and impacts:
Principally a weed of open pasture in farming areas, boxthorn usually occurs under trees, where the seeds are dropped by birds.
The savage spines of boxthorn make it unpleasant to have around (and to attempt to remove). It provides rabbit harbour in paddocks. It shades out native species in grassy remnant vegetation of farming areas. However, it also provides safe nesting sites for small native birds. If no other habitat is available in the vicinity, boxthorn which is removed should be replaced with similar native species (see under look-alikes below)."

(1)Holm, LeRoy G., Pancho, Juan V., Herberger, James, P. and Plucknett, Donald L. 1991. A Geographical Atlas of World Weeds. Krieger Publishing Company. Malabar. Florida. (2)http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/weeds_shrubs_african_boxthorn

4.01

Shrubs erect or sprawling, 0.5-1(-2) m tall. Stems much branched; branches pale gray, slender, curved or pendulous, with thorns 0.5-2 cm.

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200020538

4.02

No evidence

4.03

No evidence

4.04

Don’t know

4.05

No evidence

4.06

(1)Associated pests - "Rhizobium radiobacter (crown gall) bacterial disease
Rhizobium rhizogenes (gall) bacterial disease
Ceratitis capitata (mediterranean fruit fly) insect
Coccus hesperidum (brown soft scale) insect
Diaspidiotus perniciosus (San José scale) insect " (2)This site lists 32 fungi species to be associated with L. lycium. (3)Probably yes - host to the with the Mediterranean fruit fly - Ceratitis capitata. (4)Ceratitis capitata - "Regulation-If an infestation exists, Federal and State quarantine regulations are imposed to help prevent artificial spread of the pest. Federal quarantine laws regulate the interstate movement of any article that may harbor the fly. State regulations control the movement of these articles going to uninfested areas of the same State. Articles regulated by State and Federal authorities include all Medfly-host fruits and vegetables present in the area. Open-air fruit and vegetable stands must provide protective covers for the produce to prevent infestation, and commercial and home-grown produce may not be moved without special inspection and treatment."

(1) (2)http://nt.ars-grin.gov/fungaldatabases/index.cfm (3)http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/invasive/11medfly.html (4)http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/fsheet_faq_notice/fs_phmedfly.html

4.07

"Some caution should be exercised with this species, particularly with regard to its edible leaves, since it belongs to a family that often contains toxins. However, use of the leaves is well documented and fairly widespread in some areas." "Edible Parts: Fruit; Leaves. Edible Uses: Coffee; Tea. Fruit - raw, cooked in soups etc or dried for later use[174, 178, 183]. Sweet with an aniseed-like flavour[183]. The fruit is an oblong berry about 15mm long by 8mm wid[266]. Only the fully ripe fruits should be eaten[K]. Leaves and young shoots - raw or cooked[61, 174, 178]. A peppermint-like flavour, the leaves are used in salads or used as a potherb[183]. Rich in vitamin A., the leaves also contain about 3.9% protein, 2.25% carbohydrate, 0.7% fat, 1.4% ash[179]. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute[183]. The dried leaves are a tea substitute[183]."
[No evidence of clinical studies reporting toxic or allergic properties of L. chinense].

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Lycium+chinense

4.08

A deciduous shrub. Habitat - grows in thickets and river banks in Japan. [Probably not -species grows in wet areas and no evidence of the species growing as thickets or growing in arid areas].

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Lycium+chinense

4.09

(1)It cannot grow in the shade. (2)"Sun Exposure: Full Sun"

(1)http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Lycium+chinense (2)http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/63947/

4.1

(1)"The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils."

(1)http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Lycium+chinense

4.11

No evidence

4.12

rambling

http://www.ars-grin.gov/ars/MidWest/Ames/repository/oldsitearchive/
Ornamental_Trials/1998/1998pl~1.htm

5.01

(1)"A decidious Shrub growing to 2.5m by 2m at a medium rate." (2)"Shrubs erect or sprawling, 0.5-1(-2) m tall. Stems much branched; branches pale gray, slender, curved or pendulous, with thorns 0.5-2 cm."

(1)http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Lycium+chinense (2)http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200020538

5.02

5.03

5.04

6.01

Reported to be reproducing in China.

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200020538

6.02

(1)"Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse. Germination is usually good and fairly quick." (2)"Propagated by cutting or seed."

(1)http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Lycium+chinense (2)http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/ncnu02/v5-491.html

6.03

"Abstract: The development of the ovule and the embryo sac of five of the 17 species of Lycium and of one hybrid, recorded for southern Africa, was investigated. All specimens of four of the species and the hybrid (between a hermaphroditic and a functionally dioecious species) were found to be functionally dioecious: they express only one sex, although both male and female organs are present in the same flower. One species was hermaphroditic. The embryo sacs of all species, and of the hybrid, were of the normal eight-nucleate Polygonum type. The structure of the ovary and the development of the embryo sac are similar to those of L. europaeum L. The absence of unreduced embryo sacs indicates that apomixis does not occur at any ploidy level in the species studied." [Dont know - although hybrids in the genus Lycium are known, no evidence of L. chinense hybrids].

Minne, L.; Spies, J. J.; Venter, H. J. T., et al.
Breeding systems in some representatives of the genus Lycium (Solanaceae)
Bothalia 24 (1) : 107-110 1994

6.04

Don’t know.

6.05

(1)"The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees."

(1)http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Lycium+chinense

6.06

No evidence of spread by vegetative means.

6.07

"The plant, which resembles raspberry bushes in form and behavior, yields fruit two to three years after planting. Yields are enhanced by rigorous pruning."

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/ncnu02/v5-491.html

7.01

No evidence that the plants inhabit heavily trafficked areas.

7.02

"Edible Parts: Fruit; Leaves. Edible Uses: Coffee; Tea. Fruit - raw, cooked in soups etc or dried for later use[174, 178, 183]. Sweet with an aniseed-like flavour[183]. The fruit is an oblong berry about 15mm long by 8mm wid[266]. Only the fully ripe fruits should be eaten[K]. Leaves and young shoots - raw or cooked[61, 174, 178]. A peppermint-like flavour, the leaves are used in salads or used as a potherb[183]. Rich in vitamin A., the leaves also contain about 3.9% protein, 2.25% carbohydrate, 0.7% fat, 1.4% ash[179]. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute[183]. The dried leaves are a tea substitute[183]."

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Lycium+chinense

7.03

Probably not - no evidence that the species inhabits areas in or around seed crops.

7.04

No evidence of seeds being adapted for wind dispersal.

7.05

No evidence.

7.06

Probably yes - "The fruit is an oblong berry about 15mm long by 8mm wide"

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Lycium+chinense

7.07

No evidence that the propagules have any means of attachment.

7.08

Probably yes if the berries are swallowed by birds, however no reference regarding germination and spread via of seeds via bird droppings.

8.01

(1)"These species produce a bright orange-red, ellipsoid berry 1-2 cm long. The number of seeds in each berry varies widely based on cultivar and fruit size, containing anywhere between 10-60 tiny yellow seeds that are compressed with a curved embryo." (2)"Berry red, ovoid or oblong, 0.7-1.5 cm × 5-8 mm (ca. 2.2 × 1 cm in cultivation). Seeds numerous, yellow, 2.5-3 mm."

(1)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfberry (2)http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200020538

8.02

Each berry produces anywhere from 6-20 seeds and their viability is very high coming from fresh fruit. We only sell fresh seed inside the berry. [implies rapid loss of viability]

http://www.gojiplantsaustralia.com.au/

8.03

No evidence that the species is being controlled for.

8.04

"The plant, which resembles raspberry bushes in form and behavior, yields fruit two to three years after planting. Yields are enhanced by rigorous pruning."

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/ncnu02/v5-491.html

8.05

Don’t know.