Solanum torvum
Solanum emulans
bhankatiya, devil's fig, fausse aubergine, kausoni, prickly solanum, terongan, turkey berry
eastern black nightshade, eastern 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 1–5 cm;
blade simple, ovate to elliptic, 4.5–10.5 × 2–6 cm, margins entire to sinuate-dentate, base attenuate to rounded.
extra-axillary, unbranched or branched, 10–20-flowered, to 6 cm.
extra-axillary, unbranched, umbel-like, (2–)3–6-flowered, 1–2.5 cm.
1–1.5 cm in flower, erect and 1.5–2.5 cm in fruit.
straight and spreading in flower and recurved to reflexed in fruit, 0.5–1 cm.
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 mm, glabrous to sparsely pubescent, lobes appressed in fruit, deltate;
corolla white, sometimes with yellow central star, rarely purplish, stellate, 0.5–1 cm diam., without interpetalar tissue;
stamens equal;
anthers ellipsoidal, 1–1.5 mm, dehiscent by terminal pores that open into longitudinal slits;
ovary glabrous.
green to yellow, globose, 1–1.5 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
dull or slightly shiny purplish black, globose, 0.5–1 cm diam., glabrous, with 6–9 sclerotic granules per fruit.
light brown, flattened, 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted.
yellowish, flattened, 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 mm, finely reticulate.
= 24.
= 24.
Solanum torvum
Solanum emulans
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 emulans has often been called S. ptychanthum Dunal (with the variant spelling ptycanthum), but that name is a synonym of S. americanum.
Solanum emulans is the most common species in the black nightshade group in northeastern North America. It can be distinguished from other North American species in the black nightshade group by its unbranched inflorescences, short anthers, appressed fruiting calyx lobes, and numerous sclerotic granules in the fruits.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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