Guys ( and girls ? ) I need your help on this. In brief this plant is a sizeable climber and I noticed it bordering the birdlife sanctuaries at both simar and ghadira. Moreover at ghadira it appears to have become naturalized and seems to thrive well on sandy ground. Flower is small about 1-1.5 cm across and plant produces beautiful red fruit ( note reflection of flower on fruit in pic arrached )
Any guesses ?
wolf
help....
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mwp - your beloved bible mentions it occurs ( or occured ) in various places but does not specify if as cultivated or not - i would guess it occurs as a "farmhouse" species much like aeonium is usually found near farmsteads
I would say it is a naturalised alien ...the bible even has a maltese name for it
wolf
I would say it is a naturalised alien ...the bible even has a maltese name for it
wolf
Lycium
I have some confusing literature here! The bible mentions 2 species - the one mentioned above which as Wolf correctly stated is listed as neither native nor naturalised and a naturalised Lycium chinense.
The Red Data Book (1988) states that all the native records of L.europaeum are really Lycium intricatum - thus it was misidentified.
To add further confusion (!) the book 'Is-Sigar Maltin' (1998) confirms the native species as Lycium intricatum and states that Lycium europaeum is naturalised in places such as Ghadira, Simar and Manoel Island.
Prosit Wolf, you continue to discover new plants throughout our islands! I have never thought that this plant would have such a nice flower.
The Red Data Book (1988) states that all the native records of L.europaeum are really Lycium intricatum - thus it was misidentified.
To add further confusion (!) the book 'Is-Sigar Maltin' (1998) confirms the native species as Lycium intricatum and states that Lycium europaeum is naturalised in places such as Ghadira, Simar and Manoel Island.
Prosit Wolf, you continue to discover new plants throughout our islands! I have never thought that this plant would have such a nice flower.
europaeum
You like more confusion? An expert told me that it is not L. europaeum but L. barbarum (syn.: Lycium halimifolium or L. vulgare) from N Africa. Differences are hairy tufts at the base of the stamens. So, with a new herbarium study we confirmed recently our "europaeum" result. Lycium intricatum (syn.: Lycium mediterraneum var. ramulosum)also occurs, but leaves are pretty succulent. Is there another Maltese name as Għawseġ?