Solanum viarum
Solanum lanceolatum
tropical soda apple
lance leaf nightshade, orangeberry nightshade
petiolate;
petiole 3–6 cm;
blade simple, ovate to suborbiculate, 7–10(–20) × 6–8(–15) cm, margins coarsely lobed with 3–5 lobes per side, lobe margins entire to coarsely toothed, base truncate to cordate.
petiolate;
petiole 1.5–4 cm;
blade simple, ovate to elliptic, 5–25 × 3–15 cm, margins entire to shallowly lobed with 2–4 lobes per side, lobe margins entire to undulate, base obtuse to cordate.
extra-axillary, sessile or nearly so, unbranched, 3–5-flowered.
extra-axillary, usually much-branched, 10–20-flowered, to 10 cm.
0.7–1.1 cm in flower, 1–2 cm in fruit.
0.5–1 cm in flower, erect and 1–2 cm in fruit.
radially symmetric;
calyx somewhat accrescent, unarmed or sparsely prickly, 3–4 mm, densely pubescent, lobes triangular;
corolla greenish or whitish, stellate, 1.5–2.5 cm diam., without interpetalar tissue;
stamens equal;
anthers narrow and tapered, 5.5–7(–10) mm, dehiscent by terminal pores;
ovary densely pubescent, hairs glandular and eglandular.
radially symmetric;
calyx not accrescent, unarmed, 5–8 mm, densely stellate-pubescent, lobes triangular;
corolla usually blue to purple, rarely whitish, stellate to rotate-stellate, 2.5–4 cm diam., with abundant interpetalar tissue;
stamens equal;
anthers narrow and tapered, 6–8 mm, dehiscent by terminal pores;
ovary glabrous to stellate-pubescent.
light green mottled with dark green when young, yellow when ripe, globose, (1.5–)2–3 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
yellow to orange, globose, 0.7–1.5 cm diam., stellate-pubescent at apex, without sclerotic granules.
reddish brown, flattened, 2–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted.
yellow to light brown, flattened, 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted.
= 24.
Solanum viarum
Solanum lanceolatum
In the United States, Solanum viarum was first collected in Florida in 1988 and has subsequently become an aggressive and invasive species in the Southeast. It is on the Federal Noxious Weeds List and is classified as a noxious weed or plant pest in many states. Cattle and other animals eat the fruits and spread the seeds through their feces, and the seeds are coated with a sticky substance that makes them adhere to farm equipment when the plants are mowed. It can form large patches that are difficult to eradicate due to their extensive root systems and sharp prickles. It is a major agricultural pest and a threat to native ecosystems.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Solanum lanceolatum is naturalized along the California coast and inland in central and southern California, where it is listed as a noxious weed by the California Department of Agriculture.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
LA Plants
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
CA
