Solandra grandiflora


Solandra grandiflora, the showy chalicevine, or papaturra is a member of the nightshade genus Solandra and, like the other members of the genus, is a climbing plant with large, attractive, trumpet-shaped flowers. It is native to Central America and northern South America and is widely grown in the tropics as an ornamental. The green parts of the plant are highly toxic, due to tropane alkaloid content, and have caused deaths from anticholinergic poisoning, but the flesh of the ripe fruit is said to be edible. The fruits, which are globular and largely enclosed by the accrescent calyces, can reach a kilogram in weight and have a taste described as apple-like or melon-like.

Symptoms of poisoning

Symptoms caused by ingestion of plant parts - even from chewing fragments of flowers - include dryness of throat, headache, weakness, fever, delirium, hallucinations and potentially fatal circulatory and respiratory failure.