Solanum torvum |
Solanum pumilum |
|
---|---|---|
bhankatiya, devil's fig, fausse aubergine, kausoni, prickly solanum, terongan, turkey berry |
dwarf horsenettle, dwarf 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, perennial, erect, sparsely armed, to 0.2 m, prickles cream to yellowish, straight, to 3.5 mm, moderately to densely pubescent, hairs whitish, sessile, stellate, 4–8-rayed, central ray (1–)2–5-celled and longer than 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 0.2–1 cm; blade simple, elliptic to obovate, 2.2–8.6 × 1.1–5.1 cm, margins entire, sinuate, or shallowly lobed with 2–6 lobes per side, lobe margins entire, base cuneate to attenuate. |
Inflorescences | extra-axillary, unbranched or branched, 10–20-flowered, to 6 cm. |
extra-axillary, unbranched, 1–4-flowered, 3–7 cm. |
Pedicels | 1–1.5 cm in flower, erect and 1.5–2.5 cm in fruit. |
1–3.5 cm in flower and 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 or sparsely prickly, 6–7 mm, densely stellate-pubescent, lobes triangular; corolla white, stellate to stellate-pentagonal, 1.8–3 cm diam., with abundant interpetalar tissue at margins and base of lobes; stamens equal; anthers narrow and tapered, 6–7 mm, dehiscent by terminal pores; ovary glabrous. |
Berries | green to yellow, globose, 1–1.5 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules. |
unknown. |
Seeds | light brown, flattened, 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted. |
unknown. |
2n | = 24. |
|
Solanum torvum |
Solanum pumilum |
|
Phenology | Flowering year-round in frost-free areas. | Flowering Apr–May. |
Habitat | Disturbed sites. | |
Elevation | 0–10 m. (0–0 ft.) | 80–200 m. (300–700 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]
|
AL; GA |
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 pumilum is endemic to Ketona dolomite outcroppings near the Little Cahaba River in Bibb County and on amphibolite outcroppings near the Coosa River in Chilton and Coosa counties in Alabama. It was collected originally from Georgia in the 1830s from Baldwin and Muskogee counties. (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. hirsutum, S. carolinense var. hirsutum | |
Name authority | Swartz: Prodr., 47. (1788) — name proposed for conservation | Dunal in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle: Prodr. 13(1): 287. (1852) |
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