FNA: Solanum torvum

	Solanum torvum
	bhankatiya, devil's fig, fausse aubergine, kausoni, prickly solanum, terongan, turkey berry
Habit	Shrubs or trees, erect, sparsely to moderately armed, 1–4 m, prickles brownish, straight to recurved, 3–7 mm, moderately to densely pubescent, hairs sessile to short-stalked, stellate, 4–8-rayed, central ray shorter than or equal to lateral rays, moderately pubescent with unbranched, glandular hairs on inflorescences and calyces.
Leaves	petiolate; petiole 1–5 cm; blade simple, ovate to elliptic, 7–23 × 4–14 cm, margins subentire to coarsely lobed with 3–4 lobes per side, lobe margins entire to coarsely lobed, base truncate to subcordate and asymmetrical.
Inflorescences	extra-axillary, unbranched or branched, 10–20-flowered, to 6 cm.
Pedicels	1–1.5 cm in flower, erect and 1.5–2.5 cm in fruit.
Flowers	radially symmetric; calyx slightly accrescent, unarmed, 4–8 mm, sparsely to moderately pubescent with unbranched, gland-tipped hairs, lobes lanceolate; corolla white, stellate, 2–3 cm diam., with sparse interpetalar tissue; stamens equal; anthers narrow and tapered, 6–9 mm, dehiscent by terminal pores; ovary glabrous or glandular-puberulent at apex.
Berries	green to yellow, globose, 1–1.5 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
Seeds	light brown, flattened, 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted.
2n	= 24.

	Solanum torvum
Phenology	Flowering year-round in frost-free areas.
Habitat	Disturbed sites.
Elevation	0–10 m. [0–30 ft.]
Distribution	AL; FL; Mexico; Central America; West Indies; South America (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Venezuela) [Introduced in Asia, Africa, Indian Ocean Islands, Pacific Islands, Australia] [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Solanum torvum is listed by the United States federal government and several states as a noxious weed. It is occasional to rare in peninsular Florida and could possibly become invasive elsewhere in subtropical climates. The green fruits are used in Asian and West Indian cuisine, often as an addition to soups and curries. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source	FNA vol. 14. Treatment authors: Lynn Bohs1, 1The author wishes to acknowledge co-authorship with David M. Spooner† on S. jamesii and S. stoloniferum and with Sandra Knapp and Tiina Särkinen on the black nightshade species..
Parent taxa	Solanaceae > Solanum
Sibling taxa	S. americanum, S. aviculare, S. bahamense, S. campechiense, S. capsicoides, S. carolinense, S. chenopodioides, S. citrullifolium, S. cordicitum, S. davisense, S. deflexum, S. dimidiatum, S. diphyllum, S. donianum, S. douglasii, S. dulcamara, S. elaeagnifolium, S. emulans, S. erianthum, S. furcatum, S. hindsianum, S. interius, S. jamaicense, S. jamesii, S. laciniatum, S. lanceolatum, S. lumholtzianum, S. lycopersicum, S. marginatum, S. mauritianum, S. nigrescens, S. nigrum, S. nitidibaccatum, S. novomexicanum, S. perplexum, S. pseudocapsicum, S. pseudogracile, S. pumilum, S. rostratum, S. sarrachoides, S. seaforthianum, S. setigeroides, S. sisymbriifolium, S. stoloniferum, S. tampicense, S. tenuipes, S. triflorum, S. triquetrum, S. umbelliferum, S. viarum, S. wallacei
Name authority	Swartz: Prodr., 47. (1788) — name proposed for conservation
Web links	WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Solanum torvum

bhankatiya, devil's fig, fausse aubergine, kausoni, prickly solanum, terongan, turkey berry

Habit

Shrubs or trees, erect, sparsely to moderately armed, 1–4 m, prickles brownish, straight to recurved, 3–7 mm, moderately to densely pubescent, hairs sessile to short-stalked, stellate, 4–8-rayed, central ray shorter than or equal to lateral rays, moderately pubescent with unbranched, glandular hairs on inflorescences and calyces.

Leaves

petiolate;

petiole 1–5 cm;

blade simple, ovate to elliptic, 7–23 × 4–14 cm, margins subentire to coarsely lobed with 3–4 lobes per side, lobe margins entire to coarsely lobed, base truncate to subcordate and asymmetrical.

Inflorescences

extra-axillary, unbranched or branched, 10–20-flowered, to 6 cm.

Pedicels

1–1.5 cm in flower, erect and 1.5–2.5 cm in fruit.

Flowers

radially symmetric;

calyx slightly accrescent, unarmed, 4–8 mm, sparsely to moderately pubescent with unbranched, gland-tipped hairs, lobes lanceolate;

corolla white, stellate, 2–3 cm diam., with sparse interpetalar tissue;

stamens equal;

anthers narrow and tapered, 6–9 mm, dehiscent by terminal pores;

ovary glabrous or glandular-puberulent at apex.

Berries

green to yellow, globose, 1–1.5 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.

Seeds

light brown, flattened, 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted.

= 24.

Solanum torvum

Phenology

Flowering year-round in frost-free areas.

Habitat

Disturbed sites.

Elevation

0–10 m. [0–30 ft.]

Distribution

AL; FL; Mexico; Central America; West Indies; South America (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Venezuela) [Introduced in Asia, Africa, Indian Ocean Islands, Pacific Islands, Australia]

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Solanum torvum is listed by the United States federal government and several states as a noxious weed. It is occasional to rare in peninsular Florida and could possibly become invasive elsewhere in subtropical climates. The green fruits are used in Asian and West Indian cuisine, often as an addition to soups and curries.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source

FNA vol. 14. Treatment authors: Lynn Bohs1, 1The author wishes to acknowledge co-authorship with David M. Spooner† on S. jamesii and S. stoloniferum and with Sandra Knapp and Tiina Särkinen on the black nightshade species..

Parent taxa

Solanaceae > Solanum

Sibling taxa

S. americanum, S. aviculare, S. bahamense, S. campechiense, S. capsicoides, S. carolinense, S. chenopodioides, S. citrullifolium, S. cordicitum, S. davisense, S. deflexum, S. dimidiatum, S. diphyllum, S. donianum, S. douglasii, S. dulcamara, S. elaeagnifolium, S. emulans, S. erianthum, S. furcatum, S. hindsianum, S. interius, S. jamaicense, S. jamesii, S. laciniatum, S. lanceolatum, S. lumholtzianum, S. lycopersicum, S. marginatum, S. mauritianum, S. nigrescens, S. nigrum, S. nitidibaccatum, S. novomexicanum, S. perplexum, S. pseudocapsicum, S. pseudogracile, S. pumilum, S. rostratum, S. sarrachoides, S. seaforthianum, S. setigeroides, S. sisymbriifolium, S. stoloniferum, S. tampicense, S. tenuipes, S. triflorum, S. triquetrum, S. umbelliferum, S. viarum, S. wallacei

Name authority

Swartz: Prodr., 47. (1788) — name proposed for conservation

Web links

Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).

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Solanum torvum

Solanum torvum