Solanum torvum
Solanum perplexum
bhankatiya, devil's fig, fausse aubergine, kausoni, prickly solanum, terongan, turkey berry
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 1–6 cm;
blade simple, broadly ovate, 7–22 × 8–18 cm, margins shallowly to deeply lobed with 2–5 lobes per side, lobe margins entire to coarsely lobed, base truncate to cuneate and often oblique.
extra-axillary, unbranched or branched, 10–20-flowered, to 6 cm.
extra-axillary, forked to several times branched, to 15-flowered, 7–15 cm.
1–1.5 cm in flower, erect and 1.5–2.5 cm in fruit.
1–2 cm in flower, curved downward and to ca. 2.4 cm 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 or sparsely prickled, 7–13 mm, densely stellate-pubescent, lobes ovate-lanceolate;
corolla lavender, stellate to stellate-pentagonal or rotate-stellate, 2–4.4 cm diam., with sparse to moderate interpetalar tissue at margins and base of lobes;
stamens equal;
anthers narrow and tapered, 4–10 mm, dehiscent by terminal pores;
ovary glabrous.
green to yellow, globose, 1–1.5 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
yellow, subglobose, 1.8–3.5 × 2–4 cm, glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
light brown, flattened, 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted.
yellow, flattened, ca. 2 × 2.5 mm, minutely pitted.
= 24.
= ca. 72.
Solanum torvum
Solanum perplexum
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 perplexum is similar to S. dimidiatum and was placed in synonymy with S. dimidiatum by W. G. D’Arcy (1974). The two species can be distinguished by their indumentum [golden stellate hairs with six to eight (rarely as few as four) lateral rays with the central ray one- or two-celled and longer than lateral rays in S. perplexum versus whitish stellate hairs with six to ten (rarely as few as four) lateral rays with the central ray one-celled and equal to or shorter than lateral rays in S. dimidiatum], the larger prickles on the stems and leaves (up to 15 mm in S. perplexum versus up to 6.5 mm in S. dimidiatum), and the larger leaves (up to 22 × 18 cm in S. perplexum versus up to 16 × 10 cm in S. dimidiatum).
Solanum perplexum occurs mainly in the region where the borders of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia meet, with a single outlying population known from western Mississippi.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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