Solanum torvum
Solanum umbelliferum
bhankatiya, devil's fig, fausse aubergine, kausoni, prickly solanum, terongan, turkey berry
blue nightshade, blue witch, blue witch or chaparral nightshade, bluewitch 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 0.2–1.5(–3) cm;
blade simple, lanceolate to ovate or obovate, (0.5–)1–4(–9) × 0.5–2(–6.5) cm, margins entire to pinnatifid with 1(–3) pairs of lobes at base, lobe margins entire to undulate, base attenuate to truncate, occasionally subcordate.
extra-axillary, unbranched or branched, 10–20-flowered, to 6 cm.
terminal or lateral, leaf-opposed or extra-axillary, simple or once-branched, 5–20-flowered, 1–8 cm.
1–1.5 cm in flower, erect and 1.5–2.5 cm in fruit.
inserted into small sleeve on inflorescence axis, 0.5–1.5 cm in flower, 1.2–2 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 slightly accrescent, unarmed, 2.5–5.5 mm, glabrous to densely pubescent, hairs unbranched or dendritic, lobes broadly deltate;
corolla pale to deep purple or occasionally white, with green spots edged with white at base of lobes, spots separate or confluent, rotate, (1–)1.3–2.5 cm diam., with abundant interpetalar tissue;
stamens equal;
anthers ellipsoidal, slightly tapered, 3.5–4.5 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.
green, greenish black, or black, globose, 1–2 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
light brown, flattened, 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted.
reddish brown, flattened, ca. 2 × 1.5 mm, minutely pitted.
= 24.
Solanum torvum
Solanum umbelliferum
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 umbelliferum is common in the western part of North America from Washington to Baja California. It is found throughout California except for Modoc Plateau, Desert Province, and Central Valley.
Past treatments have divided Solanum umbelliferum into a number of taxa based on leaf size and shape and pubescence type and density, but the most recent monograph (S. Knapp 2013) regarded it as one highly variable and widespread species in which no character discontinuities can be seen. Glabrous populations from northern California have been called S. parishii, sticky-glandular populations from central and southern California S. xanti, glabrous populations from southern California have been called var. glabrescens, and densely pubescent eglandular populations from central California have been called S. californicum Dunal. Island populations with larger leaves have been called S. clokeyi (but see 52. S. wallacei, a distinct endemic on Santa Catalina Island). A number of new varietal combinations were published by D. J. Keil (2018) to accommodate much of this regional and local variation, but the group needs thorough study using both molecular and morphological analysis across its range to assess the taxonomic validity of these segregants. Some of the variation may be environmental.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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