Family: Solanaceae (nightshade)
Common name: matrimony vine
Synonym: Lycium halimifolium, Lycium vulgare

Shrub to 3 m (9 ft) tall. Stems arching or sometimes climbing, glabrous, spiny at nodes of older growth. Leaves solitary on young growth, sometimes fascicled on older growth; blade usually elliptic or oblong, 2-5 cm (0.8-2 in) long and 0.5-2 cm (0.2-0.8 in) wide, entire, glabrous. Flowers solitary or in small clusters, violet to pinkish, short-funnelform, 8-12 mm (0.3-0.5 in) long, usually 5-lobed. Fruits red when ripe, drying black, 15-20 mm (0.6-0.8 in) in diameter.

Distribution: Native to Asia and escaped in some of the U. S.
Comment: Lycium refers to the ancient country of Lycia in Asia Minor; barbarum may refer to Barbary, an old name for part of northern Africa.

Lycium

Lycium's botanical name is Lycium barbarum L.

For thousands of years, people in Asia have used lycium fruit and licorice to help maintain good health. Lycium is a Chinese herb that helps improve vision and prevent headaches and dizziness caused by liver and kidney deficiencies. Also lycium also has been shown effective in mild forms of diabetes.

Lycium also serves a liver and blood tonic. 

Lycium fruit extract contains both conventional nutrients and phytonutrients (nutrients from plants), including vitamins, minerals, beta carotene, polysaccharides and amino acids.

The herb lycium is good for the following body meridians: Liver; Kidney and Lung

Functions of Lycium:

• Increase kidney health
• Nourish the liver
• Brighten the eyes
• Moisten the lungs

Lycium is also known as:

Wolfberry fruit, Lycium fruit, Chinese Lycium, Lycium barbarum L.