Solanum torvum |
Solanum chenopodioides |
|
---|---|---|
bhankatiya, devil's fig, fausse aubergine, kausoni, prickly solanum, terongan, turkey berry |
velvety nightshade, whitetip 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. | Herbs or shrubs, annual to short-lived perennial, erect or somewhat sprawling, unarmed, to 1 m, glabrescent to densely pubescent, hairs unbranched, to 1 mm, eglandular. |
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 1–3 cm; blade simple, narrowly ovate to elliptic, 1.5–5(–7) × 0.5–3.5 cm, margins entire or sinuate, base cuneate to decurrent. |
Inflorescences | extra-axillary, unbranched or branched, 10–20-flowered, to 6 cm. |
extra-axillary or leaf-opposed, unbranched or rarely forked, umbel-like, 3–7(–10)-flowered, 1–3(–4) cm, fruiting peduncles sharply reflexed from base. |
Pedicels | 1–1.5 cm in flower, erect and 1.5–2.5 cm in fruit. |
0.5–1 cm in flower and fruit, reflexed downward 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. |
radially symmetric; calyx not accrescent, unarmed, 2–3.5 mm, sparsely pubescent, lobes deltate, appressed in fruit; corolla white or purplish, with greenish, yellowish, or brown central star, stellate, 0.8–1.5 cm diam., with sparse interpetalar tissue; stamens equal; anthers ellipsoidal, 2–3 mm, dehiscent by terminal pores that open into longitudinal slits; ovary glabrous. |
Berries | green to yellow, globose, 1–1.5 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules. |
dull purplish black, globose, 0.5–1 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules. |
Seeds | light brown, flattened, 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted. |
pale yellow, flattened, 1–1.5 × 1–1.5 mm, minutely pitted. |
2n | = 24. |
= 24. |
Solanum torvum |
Solanum chenopodioides |
|
Phenology | Flowering year-round in frost-free areas. | Flowering May–Oct (year-round in Fla.). |
Habitat | Disturbed sites. | Sandy soil, disturbed areas. |
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; FL; GA; MD; MO; NC; WI; South America (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay) [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Europe, Africa, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia]
|
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.) |
Solanum chenopodioides has been introduced sporadically and is occasionally adventive in North America. It is distinctive in having the fruiting peduncles strongly reflexed downward, but is otherwise difficult to distinguish from S. pseudogracile, with which it may be conspecific. The illegitimate superfluous name Solanum gracile Dunal has often been used for S. chenopodioides (for example, J. K. Small 1913; A. E. Radford et al. 1968). W. G. D’Arcy (1974) included S. gracile (and its replacement name S. ottonis) in the synonymy of S. nigrescens but the taxa are distinct. (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 | ||
Synonyms | S. americanum var. baylisii, S. ottonis | |
Name authority | Swartz: Prodr., 47. (1788) — name proposed for conservation | Lamarck in J. Lamarck and J. Poiret: Tabl. Encycl. 2: 18. (1794) |
Web links |