Solanum viarum
Solanum novomexicanum
tropical soda apple
New Mexico 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 2–7 cm;
blade simple to compound, broadly ovate to deltate, 4–11 × 4–8 cm, margins bipinnately lobed to divided with 2–3 main leaflets per side, leaflets with obtuse or rounded lobes, base truncate.
extra-axillary, sessile or nearly so, unbranched, 3–5-flowered.
extra-axillary, unbranched, 5–9-flowered, 4–10 cm.
0.7–1.1 cm in flower, 1–2 cm in fruit.
1–1.5 cm in flower, erect and 1–1.5 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.
bilaterally symmetric;
calyx accrescent and tightly covering fruit, densely prickly, 4.5–6.5 mm, densely glandular-pubescent, lobes lanceolate;
corolla violet or blue, pentagonal-stellate, with narrowly deltate lobes, 1–1.5 cm diam., with sparse interpetalar tissue;
stamens unequal, lowermost much longer and curved;
anthers narrow and tapered, dehiscent by terminal pores, short anthers 2–4 mm, longer anther 3.5–5 mm;
ovary glabrous.
light green mottled with dark green when young, yellow when ripe, globose, (1.5–)2–3 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
brown, globose, 1–1.2 cm diam., glabrous, dry, without sclerotic granules.
reddish brown, flattened, 2–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted.
dark brown, flattened, 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm, reticulately wrinkled or merely undulate.
= 24.
Solanum viarum
Solanum novomexicanum
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 novomexicanum is uncommon and endemic to the mountains of northcentral New Mexico.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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