Solanaceae 

Synonyms: Lycium depressum Stocks, Lycium turcomanicum Turcz.

Common names:For Lycium afrum: African tree, kaffir thorn (English); lyciet, jasmin d'Afrique (French); Afrikanischer Bocksdorn, Kafferndorn (German); spina d'Africa, spino merlo, spino quercino (Italian); ġerdeq, kherdeqa (Arabic), other vernacular names: ‘awsaj (literary Arabic).

Description

Shrub, 1-4 m, glabrous. Leaves oblong-spathulate, obtuse to subacute, 3-5 cm. Flowers 3-8 in a cluster. Corolla pale violet.

Flowering

April.

Habitat

Hedges and wadis.

Distribution

West Irano-Turanian.

Use

In the badia: Al-Khatīb: various ophthalmies as collirium, together with zinjār (i.e. copper oxide) and kohl (i.e. antimonium sulphide).

Field data: not mentioned.

In literature: sterility in women (wood powder into the vagina), eczema, pruritus, scabies (cinders with olive oil), ophthalmiae (leaves juice in collirium), tuberculosis, cough (wood's decoction), snake bites (wood decoction, external), tonsillitis, aphthae diarrhoea (berries’ decoction); sedative.

Its use as forage has not been scientifically investigated.

Palatability and importance as forage

Chemical Data

Betain, saccharose, heterosides, phytosterol, also alkaloids in Lycium shawii.

References

Bedevian, A. K. 1936. Illustrated Polyglottic Dictionary of Plant names. Cairo, Argus D Papazian Presses.

Ozenda, P. 1991. Flore et végétation du Sahara. Paris, Ed. du CNRS.

Edited by: F. Guiso Gallisai
Information taken from: Sincich, F. 2002. Bedouin Traditional Medicine in the Syrian Steppe. Rome, FAO. 114-115.

All pictures and drawings belong to the author.

The presentation of material in this profile do not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and has been taken from interviews with the traditional Bedouin doctor, Al-Khatīb and from data collected directly from Bedouins informants.