Question: I need you help identifying a plant that looks like berberis, except that it has blue flowers in September. I …
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Question
I need you help identifying a plant that looks like berberis, except that it has blue flowers in September. I have seen it growing just above high high tide on rocky coastlines in Hull and Salem. It has the habit of Barberry, some thorns on older stems, and a red drupe.
Answer
brucepiper40, you have photographed a species of Lycium (matrimony-vine), a member of the Solanaceae (nightshade family). There are two species that have escaped in New England, but I cannot tell you for certain which species you have without some careful measurements. The identification key for the two species is as follows: 1a. Calyx usually 2-lobed with each lobe 2- or 3-toothed near the apex, 3–4 mm long; corolla lobes subglabrous, the lobes obviously shorter than the basal, connate portion; leaf blades 20–30 × 3–6 . . . . . . . . . . . L. barbarum 1b. Calyx 3- to 5-parted to near half way to base, 4–5 mm long; corolla lobes pubescent near the margin, the lobes as long as or longer than the basal, connate portion; leaf blades 15–50 (–100) × 5–25 (–40) . . . L. chinense
