Solanum torvum |
Solanum cordicitum |
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bhankatiya, devil's fig, fausse aubergine, kausoni, prickly solanum, terongan, turkey berry |
valentine nightshade |
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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, annual, erect, moderately armed, to 0.35 m, prickles whitish or yellowish, needlelike, to 5 mm, usually less than 20 per cm of stem, moderately pubescent with stipitate glands 0.5–1 mm mixed with sparse, unbranched, eglandular hairs 1–2 mm, abaxial leaf surfaces with sparse, sessile to short-stalked, stellate hairs, 2–4-rayed, central ray equal to lateral rays. |
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 0.5–3 cm; blade simple, ovate to elliptic, 3–8 × 1.5–4 cm, margins deeply lobed to pinnatifid with 3–4 lobes per side, these shallowly lobed, base obtuse. |
Inflorescences | extra-axillary, unbranched or branched, 10–20-flowered, to 6 cm. |
extra-axillary, unbranched, 5–8-flowered, 8–12 cm. |
Pedicels | 1–1.5 cm in flower, erect and 1.5–2.5 cm in fruit. |
0.4–1 cm in flower, 1–1.8 cm and erect 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. |
bilaterally symmetric; calyx accrescent and tightly covering fruit, moderately prickly, 4–6 mm, moderately pubescent, lobes narrowly triangular; corolla white, rotate-stellate, 2–2.5 cm diam., with abundant interpetalar tissue; stamens unequal, lowermost much longer and curved; anthers narrow and tapered, dehiscent by terminal pores, short anthers 5–6 mm, longer anther 9–11 mm; ovary glabrous. |
Berries | green to yellow, globose, 1–1.5 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules. |
brown, globose, 1–1.2 cm diam., glabrous, dry, without sclerotic granules. |
Seeds | light brown, flattened, 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted. |
dark brown, flattened, reniform, ca. 1.5 × 1 mm, reticulately ridged. |
2n | = 24. |
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Solanum torvum |
Solanum cordicitum |
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Phenology | Flowering year-round in frost-free areas. | Flowering Sep–Nov. |
Habitat | Disturbed sites. | Open and disturbed areas. |
Elevation | 0–10 m. (0–0 ft.) | 1300–1900 m. (4300–6200 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]
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TX |
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 cordicitum is currently known only from three collections from Jeff Davis County. (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 | S. R. Stern: J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 8: 2, figs. 1, 2. (2014) |
Web links |