Solanum viarum
Solanum triquetrum
tropical soda apple
Texas 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 0.3–1.2 cm;
blade simple, deltate to hastate or triangular, sometimes linear, (1–)1.8–5 × (0.3–)1–3.5 cm, margins entire to basally 2-lobed, lobe margins entire, base truncate to subcordate or hastate.
extra-axillary, sessile or nearly so, unbranched, 3–5-flowered.
terminal or lateral, leaf-opposed or occasionally extra-axillary, unbranched or occasionally forked, 3–6-flowered, 1–3 cm.
0.7–1.1 cm in flower, 1–2 cm in fruit.
inserted into small sleeve on inflorescence axis, 0.6–1.2 cm in flower, 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.
radially symmetric;
calyx not accrescent, unarmed, 2.5–3.5 mm, glabrous to sparsely pubescent, lobes triangular-acuminate;
corolla white or tinged with purple, often with shiny green or greenish white eye, stellate, 1.5–2 cm diam., without interpetalar tissue;
stamens equal;
anthers oblong, slightly tapered, 3.5–4 mm, dehiscent by terminal pores that open into longitudinal slits;
ovary glabrous.
light green mottled with dark green when young, yellow when ripe, globose, (1.5–)2–3 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
bright shiny red, globose, 1–1.5 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
reddish brown, flattened, 2–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted.
reddish brown, plump-reniform to flattened, ca. 4 × 2.5 mm, minutely pitted.
, semiwoody or scramblers with enlarged woody base, to 2 m, occasionally erect subshrubs to 0.5 m, unarmed, glabrous to densely pubescent, hairs usually ascending and pointing distally on stems, weak, unbranched, to 0.5 mm.
= 24.
= 24.
Solanum viarum
Solanum triquetrum
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 triquetrum is widespread in central, southern, and western Texas. It could be confused with S. dulcamara, which also has shiny green dots at the corolla lobe bases, but the flowers of S. triquetrum are white and the leaves more sharply triangular. Leaf shape and size in S. triquetrum are extremely variable (S. Knapp 2013).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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