Lycium is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Lycium are shrubs, often thorny, growing 1 to 4 meters tall. The leaves are small, narrow, and fleshy, and are alternately arranged, sometimes in fascicles. Flowers are solitary or borne in clusters. The funnel-shaped or bell-shaped corolla is white, green, or purple in colour. The fruit is a two-chambered, usually fleshy and juicy berry which can be red, orange, yellow, or black. While most Lycium are monoecious, producing bisexual flowers with functional male and female parts, some species are gynodioecious, with some individuals bearing bisexual flowers and some producing functionally female flowers.

Lycium hirsutum, synonymously known as Lycium pilosum and commonly known as River Honey-thorn in English and Rivierkareedoring, Wolwedoring or Kriedoring in Afrikaans, is a South African indigenous species found in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Northern Cape, North West and Western Cape provinces. It is a large, dense and thorny shrub growing curved, drooping branches, reaching heights between 2 m and 3 m. The shrub is variable in appearance.