XVI International Botanical Congess
Lycium comprises 25 indigenous species in Africa. Nineteen of these are bisexual and six are dioecious. The female flower includes a complete pistil and stamens with disfunctional anthers in which viable pollen do not develop. The male flower includes fertile stamens and an incomplete pistil in which only a rudimentary style and no stigma develop. Lycium has a basic chromosome number of n=12. The bisexual species are 2n=24 while the dioecious species are polyploids of 2n=48 or 72. This dioecious condition of Lycium is unique in the Solanaceae.