Solanum torvum
Solanum citrullifolium
bhankatiya, devil's fig, fausse aubergine, kausoni, prickly solanum, terongan, turkey berry
melon-leaf nightshade, watermelon 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 2–7 cm;
blade simple to compound, broadly ovate, 4–10(–15) × 3–8 cm, margins bipinnately lobed or divided with 3–4 main leaflets per side, these with obtuse or rounded lobes, base truncate.
extra-axillary, unbranched or branched, 10–20-flowered, to 6 cm.
extra-axillary, unbranched, 4–10-flowered, 3–11 cm.
1–1.5 cm in flower, erect and 1.5–2.5 cm in fruit.
1–2 cm in flower, 1–2 cm and erect 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.
bilaterally symmetric;
calyx accrescent and tightly covering fruit, densely prickly, 2.5–3.8 mm, densely glandular-pubescent, lobes linear-lanceolate;
corolla violet or blue, pentagonal-stellate, 2.5–3.5 cm diam., with interpetalar tissue at margins and bases of lobes;
stamens unequal, lowermost much longer and curved;
anthers narrow and tapered, dehiscent by terminal pores, short anthers yellow, 6–10 mm, longer anther purplish, 11–16 mm;
ovary glabrous.
green to yellow, globose, 1–1.5 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
brown, globose, 0.8–1.2 cm diam., glabrous, dry, without sclerotic granules.
light brown, flattened, 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted.
dark brown, flattened, 2.3–3 × 2–2.5 mm, reticulately wrinkled, ridged, or undulate.
= 24.
= 24.
Solanum torvum
Solanum citrullifolium
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.)
North American plants identified as Solanum heterodoxum Dunal are largely misidentifications of S. citrullifolium. Solanum heterodoxum in the current sense is now restricted to Mexico.
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Stems scattered-prickly with fewer than 20 prickles per cm of stem; prickles often to 1 mm diam. at base; stems densely glandular-pubescent. | var. citrullifolium |
1. Stems densely bristly with 25+ bristles per cm of stem; bristles mostly less than 0.5 mm diam. at base; stems sparsely glandular-pubescent. | var. setigerum |
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