Solanum viarum
Solanum wallacei
tropical soda apple
Catalina nightshade, greasy or Santa Catalina or Wallace's nightshade, northern island nightshade, Wallace's 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 1–2.5(–4) cm;
blade simple, elliptic to obovate, 3–11(–14) × 1.6–5.5(–9) cm, margins entire or slightly undulate, occasionally with 2 small lobes at base, lobe margins entire, base truncate or acute.
extra-axillary, sessile or nearly so, unbranched, 3–5-flowered.
terminal or lateral, leaf-opposed or extra-axillary, usually once-branched, occasionally more, 20–30-flowered, (2–)4–10 cm.
0.7–1.1 cm in flower, 1–2 cm in fruit.
inserted into small sleeve on inflorescence axis, 1.5–2 cm in flower and 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, 6–7 mm, densely pubescent, lobes deltate;
corolla violet to purple with or without green spots at base of lobes, spots usually small and not confluent, rotate, 3–4.5 cm diam., with abundant interpetalar tissue;
stamens equal;
anthers ellipsoidal, 4.5–5 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.
shiny green, turning yellow then black, globose, 3–4 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
reddish brown, flattened, 2–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted.
reddish brown, plump to flattened, 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 mm, minutely pitted.
= 24.
Solanum viarum
Solanum wallacei
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 wallacei is endemic to Santa Catalina Island.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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USDA Plants Database
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