Citation: L., Sp. Pl. 191 (1753).

Derivation: Greek lykion, the name of a thorny shrub from Lycia, Asia Minor.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Boxthorns.

Description:
Shrubs usually with rigid spiny branches, glabrous or with scattered glandular hairs; leaves alternate, borne singly at first, subsequently in clusters, simple, entire, usually somewhat fleshy, sessile or shortly petiolate.

Flowers solitary or clustered at the nodes, bisexual; calyx tubular to campanulate, 4- or 5-lobed, sometimes 2-lipped, persistent; corolla regular, funnel-shaped, with a marked throat and 4 or 5 broad blunt lobes; corolla lobes imbricate in bud; stamens 5 (sometimes 4 or 6), unequal, included or exserted, inserted near the base of the corolla; anthers not cohering, 2-celled, dehiscing longitudinally; ovary 2-celled.

Fruit a succulent berry, partially enclosed by the enlarged calyx; fruiting pedicel deflexed; seeds suborbicular, flat; tesla smooth.

Distribution:  About 100 species especially in temperate North and South America, also in Africa, Eurasia and the Pacific; 1 species endemic and 3 naturalised in Australia. (L. Haegi (1976) Aust. J. Bot. 24:669-679).

Biology: No text

Key to Species:

1. Corolla lobes about a quarter of the corolla length; stamens included or scarcely exserted; leaves usually less than, rarely up to 5 mm broad	L. australe 1.
1. Corolla lobes a third to half of the corolla length; stamens much exserted; at least some leaves more than 5 mm broad
2. Ultimate lateral branchlets mostly slender leafless spines 2-10 mm long, or such spines absent; at least some leaves ovate; berry more or less ellipsoid	L. barbarum 2.
2. Ultimate lateral branchlets mostly stout leafy spines, at least some 20 mm long or more; leaves obovate or elliptic; berry more or less globose	L. ferocissimum 3.

Author: Not yet available