Solanum viarum
Solanum marginatum
tropical soda apple
purple African nightshade, white-margined nightshade, white-margined or purple African 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 1.5–6 cm;
blade simple, ovate, 8–23 × 7–13 cm, margins coarsely lobed with 3–4 lobes per side, lobe margins entire to coarsely lobed, base cordate.
extra-axillary, sessile or nearly so, unbranched, 3–5-flowered.
extra-axillary or leaf-opposed, occasionally sessile, unbranched or forked, 6–15(–30)-flowered, 3.5–8 cm.
0.7–1.1 cm in flower, 1–2 cm in fruit.
0.5–2 cm in flower, pendent and 2–3 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 accrescent and subtending fruit, sparsely to moderately armed, 7–15 mm, densely stellate-pubescent, lobes broadly deltate;
corolla white to pale purple, rotate-stellate, 2.5–4 cm diam., with abundant interpetalar tissue;
stamens equal;
anthers narrow and tapered, 5.5–7 mm, dehiscent by terminal pores;
ovary moderately 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, dark green mottled with white when young, globose, 3.5–4(–5) cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
reddish brown, flattened, 2–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted.
light brown, flattened, 2.5–3.5 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted.
= 24.
= 24.
Solanum viarum
Solanum marginatum
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 marginatum is naturalized along the central and southern coast of California, where it has been listed as a noxious weed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. There are few recent collections.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
LA Plants
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
CA
