Solanum torvum |
Solanum aviculare |
|
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bhankatiya, devil's fig, fausse aubergine, kausoni, prickly solanum, terongan, turkey berry |
New Zealand nightshade |
|
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. | Shrubs, erect, unarmed, 1–4 m, glabrous. |
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. |
petiolate; petiole 1–1.5 cm; blade simple, elliptic, 10–30 × 2–15 cm, margins entire or coarsely pinnatifid with 1–3 lobes per side, lobe margins entire, base cuneate. |
Inflorescences | extra-axillary, unbranched or branched, 10–20-flowered, to 6 cm. |
leaf-opposed or in branch fork, unbranched or forked, to 10-flowered, to 15 cm. |
Pedicels | 1–1.5 cm in flower, erect and 1.5–2.5 cm in fruit. |
1.5–2 cm in flower and 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. |
radially symmetric; calyx somewhat accrescent, unarmed, 3–4 mm, glabrous, lobes deltate; corolla blue to deep purple, rotate-stellate, lobes acute at apex, 3–4 cm diam., with abundant interpetalar tissue; stamens equal; anthers oblong, slightly tapered, 3–4 mm, dehiscent by terminal pores that sometimes open into longitudinal slits; ovary glabrous. |
Berries | green to yellow, globose, 1–1.5 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules. |
bright orange to red, obovoid to ellipsoidal, 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 cm, glabrous, with sclerotic granules inconspicuous to absent. |
Seeds | light brown, flattened, 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted. |
reddish brown, flattened, 1.5–2 × 1.5–2 mm, finely reticulate. |
2n | = 24. |
= 46. |
Solanum torvum |
Solanum aviculare |
|
Phenology | Flowering year-round in frost-free areas. | Flowering Jan–Jul. |
Habitat | Disturbed sites. | Open, disturbed sites. |
Elevation | 0–10 m. (0–0 ft.) | 0–2000 m. (0–6600 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]
|
CA; OR; Pacific Islands (New Guinea, New Zealand); Australia [Introduced in North America]
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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.) |
The name Solanum laciniatum Aiton has been misapplied to S. aviculare (for example, M. Nee 1993). Although only S. aviculare is listed in that treatment as occurring in California, both S. aviculare and S. laciniatum apparently are found there, and most photos labeled S. aviculare on the CalFlora website are of S. laciniatum. Solanum laciniatum has notched and ruffled corolla lobes with abundant interpetalar tissue (versus acute and entire corolla lobes with little interpetalar tissue in S. aviculare) and yellow fruits (versus red) with numerous stone cells (versus stone cells inconspicuous to absent). Solanum aviculare and S. laciniatum have been introduced from Australia and New Zealand as ornamentals and now are found in scattered localities in California, especially near the coast. Some plants have escaped and become naturalized, and these species have the potential to be invasive in the future. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 14. | FNA vol. 14. |
Parent taxa | Solanaceae > Solanum | Solanaceae > Solanum |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Swartz: Prodr., 47. (1788) — name proposed for conservation | G. Forster: Pl. Esc., 42. (1786) |
Web links |