Solanum torvum
Solanum bahamense
bhankatiya, devil's fig, fausse aubergine, kausoni, prickly solanum, terongan, turkey berry
Bahama nightshade, Rugel's nightshade
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 0.1–2.7 cm;
blade simple, narrowly elliptic, 2–21 × 0.5–5.5 cm, margins entire or shallowly lobed, base attenuate to rounded.
extra-axillary, unbranched or branched, 10–20-flowered, to 6 cm.
extra-axillary or leaf-opposed, usually unbranched, 30+-flowered, to 15 cm.
1–1.5 cm in flower, erect and 1.5–2.5 cm in fruit.
0.8–1.5 cm in flower, 1–2 cm and recurved to one side of the inflorescence in fruit.
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 not accrescent, unarmed, 1.5–2.5 mm, moderately stellate-pubescent, lobes triangular;
corolla white or violet, stellate, 1.5–2 cm diam., without interpetalar tissue;
stamens equal;
anthers narrow and tapered, 5.5–8 mm, dehiscent by terminal pores, anther tube densely stellate-pubescent within;
ovary glabrous or sparsely pubescent with short-glandular hairs.
green to yellow, globose, 1–1.5 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
bright shiny red, globose, 0.5–0.7 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
light brown, flattened, 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted.
pale tan, flattened, 2–2.5 × 1–1.5 mm, minutely pitted.
= 24.
= 24.
Solanum torvum
Solanum bahamense
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.)
Solanum bahamense is morphologically variable, especially in leaf shape, hair morphology, prickle density, and corolla color. Using morphological and molecular data, R. Strickland-Constable et al. (2010) established that several formerly recognized taxa are encompassed within its range of variability and should be considered as synonyms of S. bahamense. It is unique among the North American spiny solanums in having stellate hairs on the inner (adaxial) surface of the anthers. Solanum bahamense occurs in southern Florida and the Keys and throughout the Caribbean.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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