This first picture may be a bit unfair, but there is a clue in the title of the thread, although you may not catch on to it yet (more about this later).
The clues would suggest carrot (full of vitamin A, reputed to improve night vision) or eyebright (Euphrasia; cure for dull eyes, and an old herbalist's treatment for conjunctivitis), but it clearly isn't either of those.
With eyes as keen as a wolf's, plant expert, Ron, is on the right track.........again. Yes, Lycium, as in the Solanaceae family
The whole naming of Lycium species that yields Chiniese wolfberries is a bit confusing. Wolfberries come from both Lycium barbarum and Lycium chinense, which originate from eastern Asia, from Tibet and China. In Tibet, the fruits are referred to as "Goji" berries, and in China , "Quo Qi Zi" (in Pinyin). There is confusion as to whether wolfberries are the same as Goji berries. The majority fo Goji berries from Tibet probably derives from Lycium barbarum, which has a more northern distribution. Whereas the name Lycium barbarum is used synonymously for Lycium chinense - the plant that yields Quo Qi Zi berries in China - the two are in fact distinct species. Lycium chinense is distributed further south. However, as with any domesticated plants which has been in use and in cultivation for over two thousand years, the exact origin is lost in history. http://www.liberherbarum.com/Pn3606Th.htm http://www.itmonline.org/arts/lycium.htm
Here's what they look like when ripe. They are juicy and moderately sweet, but leaves an unsual after taste. They taste much better in a light, watery soup.
In the reply from Weekend Gardener, there are some mistake. Chinese wolfberries is called Gou Qi zi in Pinyin, not Qou Qi zi. In pinyin Q is pronounced as "ch" in English and "G" is pronounced as a soft "K" like in "como" in Spanish. I have not seen any literature except advertisings mentioned about Lycium barbarum produced in Tibet. The term "Goji" is often used in commercial packages of the seed. "Goji" is the English writing to mimic the pronunciation of gou qi. From where did you obtain the information that Lycium barbarium is produced in Tibet?
I know pinyin - I studied it and learnt it in order to facilitate my spoken mandarin skills. But for those who might search for information on the subject, I used the terms that yielded the most pages on Google search, just as yousatonmycactus indicated. (Ouch!!) So, those terms are intentional, not "errors".
Dear Weekend Gardener, Could you direct me to the source of those photos of the ripe berries? I would also like to know if the flower photo is from the same plant and whether it has been indentified for certain as Lycium barbarum L.
