Solanum


Solanum is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants, which include three food crops of high economic importance: the potato, the tomato and the eggplant. It is the largest genus in the nightshade family Solanaceae, comprising around 1,500 species. It also contains the so-called horse nettles, as well as numerous plants cultivated for their ornamental flowers and fruit.
Solanum species show a wide range of growth habits, such as annuals and perennials, vines, subshrubs, shrubs, and small trees. Many formerly independent genera like Lycopersicon and Cyphomandra are now included in Solanum as subgenera or sections. Thus, the genus today contains roughly 1,500–2,000 species.

Name

The generic name was first used by Pliny the Elder for a plant also known as, most likely S. nigrum. Its derivation is uncertain, possibly stemming from the Latin word, meaning "sun", referring to its status as a plant of the sun.

Species having the common name "nightshade"

The species most commonly called nightshade in North America and Britain is Solanum dulcamara, also called bittersweet or woody nightshade. Its foliage and egg-shaped red berries are poisonous, the active principle being solanine, which can cause convulsions and death if taken in large doses. Black nightshades have varying levels of toxins and are considered too toxic to eat by many people in North America and Europe, but young stems and leaves or fully ripened fruit of various species are cooked and eaten by native people in North America, Africa, and Asia. Deadly nightshade belongs, like Solanum, to subfamily Solanoideae of the nightshade family, but, unlike that genus, is a member of tribe Hyoscyameae. The chemistry of Atropa species is very different from that of Solanum species and features the very toxic tropane alkaloids, the best-known of which is atropine.

Taxonomy

The genus was established by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. Its subdivision has always been problematic, but slowly some sort of consensus is being achieved.
The following list is a provisional lineup of the genus' traditional subdivisions, together with some notable species. Many of the subgenera and sections might not be valid; they are used here provisionally as the phylogeny of this genus is not fully resolved yet and many species have not been reevaluated.
Cladistic analyses of DNA sequence data suggest that the present subdivisions and rankings are largely invalid. Far more subgenera would seem to warrant recognition, with Leptostemonum being the only one that can at present be clearly subdivided into sections. Notably, it includes as a major lineage several members of the traditional sections Cyphomandropsis and the old genus Cyphomandra.

Subgenus ''Bassovia''

Section ''Allophylla''

Section ''Cyphomandropsis''

Solanum glaucophyllum Desf. – Waxy-leaved nightshade

Section ''Pachyphylla''

Solanum betaceum Cav. – TamarilloSolanum exiguum

Subgenus ''Leptostemonum''

Section ''Acanthophora''

Solanum aculeatissimum Jacq. – Indian nightshadeSolanum atropurpureum Schrank – Five-minute plantSolanum capsicoides – Cockroach berry, polohauaii Solanum mammosum – Nipplefruit, titty fruit, cow's udder, apple of SodomSolanum palinacanthum DunalSolanum viarum Dunal – Tropical soda apple

Section ''Androceras''

12 spp.
  • Series Androceras
  • Series Violaceiflorum
  • Series ''Pacificum''

Section ''Erythrotrichum''

Solanum robustum H.L.Wendl. – Shrubby nightshade

Section ''Herposolanum''

Solanum wendlandii Hook.f. – Giant potatocreeper

Section ''Irenosolanum''

Solanum incompletum Dunal – Pōpolo kū mai Solanum nelsonii Dunal – Nelson's horsenettle, Ākia Solanum sandwicense Hook. & Arn. – Hawaiian horsenettle, ''Pōpoloaiakeakua''

Section ''Lasiocarpa''

Solanum lasiocarpum DunalSolanum pseudolulo – lulo de perro Solanum quitoense – lulo, naranjilla Solanum sessiliflorum – Cocona

Section ''Melongena''

Solanum aculeastrum – Soda apple, sodaapple nightshade, goat apple, poison apple, "bitter-apple"Solanum campechiense – Redberry nightshadeSolanum carolinense – Carolina horsenettle, radical weed, sand brier, devil's tomato, "bull nettle", "tread-softly", "apple of Sodom", "wild tomato" Solanum cataphractum Solanum citrullifolium A.Braun – Watermelon nightshade Solanum dimidiatum Raf. – Torrey's nightshadeSolanum elaeagnifolium – Silver-leaved nightshade, prairie berry, silverleaf nettle, white horsenettle, silver nightshade, "bull-nettle", "trompillo" ; Silver-leaf bitter-apple, satansbos Solanum heterodoxum Dunal – Melon-leaved nightshadeSolanum incanum L.Solanum linnaeanum – Devil's apple, apple of SodomSolanum macrocarpon L.Solanum marginatum L.f. – White-margined nightshadeSolanum melongena – Eggplant, aubergine Solanum rostratum Dunal – Buffalo bur, Texas thistleSolanum sisymbriifolium Lam. – Sticky nightshade, fire-and-iceSolanum virginianum L.

Section ''Micracantha''

Solanum jamaicense Mill. – Jamaican nightshadeSolanum lanceifolium Jacq. – Lance-leaved nightshadeSolanum tampicense Dunal – Wetland nightshade

Section ''Oliganthes''

Solanum aethiopicum – Ethiopian eggplant, nakati, mock tomato, Ethiopian nightshade; including S. gilo Solanum centrale – Australian desert raisin, bush raisin, bush sultana, "bush tomato", akatjurra, kampurarpa, merne akatyerre, kutjeraSolanum cleistogamum – "bush tomato", merne mwanyerne Solanum ellipticum – Potato bush, "bush tomato"Solanum pyracanthos Lam. – Porcupine tomato, Devil's ThornSolanum quadriloculatum F.Muell. – "bush tomato", "wild tomato"

Section ''Persicariae''

Solanum bahamense L. – Bahama nightshade, canker berry, berengena de playaSolanum ensifolium Dunal – Erubia

Section ''Torva''

Solanum asteropilodesSolanum chrysotrichum Schltdl. – Giant devil's-figSolanum lanceolatum – Orangeberry nightshadeSolanum paniculatum – JurubebaSolanum torvum – Turkey berry, devil's fig, prickly nightshade, shoo-shoo bush, wild eggplant, pea eggplant

Subgenus ''Lyciosolanum''

Solanum guineense L.

Subgenus ''Solanum''

Also known as: Solanum sensu stricto.

Section ''Anarrhichomenum''

Section ''Archaesolanum''

Solanum aviculare – Poroporo, kangaroo apple

Section ''Basarthrum''

Solanum catilliflorumSolanum muricatum – Pepino dulce, pepino melon, melon pear, "pepino", "tree melon"Solanum perlongistylum

Section ''Brevantherum''

Solanum bullatumSolanum erianthum D.Don – Potato tree, "mullein nightshade"Solanum mauritianum – Woolly nightshade, ear-leaved nightshade, flannel weed, bugweed, tobacco weed, kerosene plant, "wild tobacco"

Section ''Dulcamara''

Solanum crispum – Chilean potato vine, Chilean nightshade, Chilean potato treeSolanum dulcamara – BittersweetSolanum imbaburenseSolanum laxum Spreng. – Jasmine nightshadeSolanum leiophyllumSolanum seaforthianum Andrews – Brazilian nightshadeSolanum triquetrum Cav. – Texas nightshadeSolanum wallacei – Wallace's nightshade, Catalina nightshade, Clokey's nightshade, "wild tomato" Solanum xanti – Purple nightshade, San Diego nightshade

Section ''Holophylla''

Solanum diphyllum L. – Twin-leaved nightshadeSolanum pseudocapsicum – Jerusalem cherry, Madeira winter cherry, "winter cherry"

Section ''Juglandifolia''

Solanum juglandifolium

Section ''Lycopersicoides''

Solanum lycopersicoides Dunal – Peruvian wolfpeach

Section ''Lycopersicon''

Also known as: tomato lineage.Solanum arcanum Peralta – "wild tomato"Solanum chilenseSolanum corneliomulleriSolanum huaylasense PeraltaSolanum peruvianum L. – Peruvian nightshade, "wild tomato"Solanum cheesmaniae FosbergSolanum chmielewskiiSolanum galapagense S.C.Darwin & PeraltaSolanum habrochaitesSolanum lycopersicum – TomatoSolanum neorickiiSolanum pennelliiSolanum pimpinellifolium – Currant tomato

Section ''Normania''

Section ''Petota''

Also known as the "potato lineage". Including: subsections Estolonifera and Potatoe.Solanum albornoziiSolanum bulbocastanum – Ornamental nightshadeSolanum bukasovii Juz. ex RybinSolanum burtoniiSolanum cardiophyllum – Heart-leaved nightshadeSolanum chilliasenseSolanum commersonii Dunal – Commerson's nightshadeSolanum demissum Lindl. – Dwarf wild potatoSolanum jamesii – Wild potatoSolanum minutifoliolumSolanum paucijugumSolanum phureja Juz. & BukasovSolanum pinnatisectum Dunal – Tansy-leaved nightshadeSolanum regularifoliumSolanum stoloniferum Schltdl. – Tigna potato, Fendler's horsenettleSolanum stenotomum Solanum ternatum Solanum tuberosum – Potato

Section ''Solanum''

Solanum adscendens Sendtner – Sonoita nightshade Solanum americanum Mill. – American nightshade, American black nightshade, West Indian nightshade, glossy nightshade Solanum chenopodioides Lam. – Goosefoot nightshade, slender nightshade Solanum douglasii Dunal – Green-spotted nightshadeSolanum alatum – Eastern black nightshadeSolanum interius Rydb.Solanum melongena L.Solanum nigrescens M.Martens & Galeotti – Divine nightshadeSolanum nigrum L. – European black nightshade, "black nightshade"

Notable species not otherwise placed

Solanum abutiloides – Dwarf tamarilloSolanum amygdalifolium Steud.Solanum bellumSolanum cajanumenseSolanum chimborazenseSolanum chrysasteroidesSolanum cinnamomeumSolanum conocarpum Rich. ex Dunal – Marron bacobaSolanum cowiei MartineSolanum cremastanthemumSolanum crinitumSolanum davisense Whalen – Davis' horsenettleSolanum densepilosulumSolanum donianum Walp. – Mullein nightshadeSolanum dolichorhachisSolanum etuberosum - representative member of a clade that gave rise to the potatoes by hybridization with a member of the tomato cladeSolanum fallaxSolanum ferox L. – Hairy-fruited eggplant, Thai hairy-fruited eggplantSolanum fortunenseSolanum furcatum – Forked nightshadeSolanum glabratum DunalSolanum haleakalaense H.St.JohnSolanum hindsianum Benth. – Hinds' nightshadeSolanum hypermegethesSolanum hypocalycosarcumSolanum interandinumSolanum latiflorumSolanum leucodendronSolanum lumholtzianum Bartlett – Sonoran nightshadeSolanum luteoalbum Solanum lycocarpum – Wolf apple, fruta-de-lobo, lobeira Solanum melissarum BohsSolanum nudum Dunal – Forest nightshadeSolanum ovum-fringillaeSolanum paralumSolanum parishii A.Heller – Parish's nightshadeSolanum physalifolium RusbySolanum pinetorumSolanum polygamum Vahl – Cakalaka berrySolanum pyrifolium Lam.Solanum pubescens Willd.Solanum riedlei Dunal – Riedle's nightshadeSolanum rudepannum DunalSolanum rugosum Dunal – tabacon asperoSolanum sibundoyenseSolanum sodiroi Solanum sycocarpumSolanum tenuipes Bartlett – Fancy nightshadeSolanum tobagenseSolanum trilobatum L.Solanum umbelliferum – Bluewitch nightshadeSolanum violaceum OrtegaSolanum viride Spreng. – Green NightshadeSolanum woodburyi Howard – Woodbury's nightshade

Formerly placed here

Some plants of other genera were formerly placed in Solanum:Chamaesaracha coronopus Cordia alliodora Lycianthes biflora Lycianthes denticulata Lycianthes lycioides Lycianthes mociniana Lycianthes rantonnetii
  • Undetermined species of Lycianthes have been referred to under names such as S. chrysophyllum, S. ciliatum Blume ex Miq., S. corniculatum Hiern, S. lanuginosum, S. retrofractum var. acuminatum, S. violaceum Blume, S. violifolium f. typicum, S. virgatum notst β albiflorum, S. uniflorum Lag. or S. uniflorum var. berterianum.

Phylogeny

The following phylogeny of Solanaceae is from Zhang et al. figure 1B. It is based on a consensus of 500 trees randomly sampled from 1-Mb genomic windows with 200-kb step size.
The non-italicized names inside of Solanum refer to the major clade names within Solanum. These names usually include the similarly-named section but do not have taxonomic standing.

Ecology

Solanum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species.

Toxicity

Most parts of the plants, especially the green parts and unripe fruit, are poisonous to humans, with some species even being deadly.

Uses

Many species in the genus bear some edible parts, such as fruits, leaves, or tubers. Three crops in particular have been bred and harvested for consumption by humans for centuries, and are now cultivated on a global scale:
  • Tomato, S. lycopersicum
  • * Tomato varieties are sometimes bred from both S. lycopersicum and wild tomato species such as S. pimpinellifolium, S. peruvianum, S. cheesmanii, S. galapagense, S. chilense, etc.
  • Potato, S. tuberosum, fourth largest food crop.
  • * Less important but cultured relatives used in small amounts include S. stenotomum, S. phureja, S. goniocalyx, S. ajanhuiri, S. chaucha, S. juzepczukii, S. curtilobum.
  • Eggplant, S. melongena
Other species are significant food crops regionally, such as Ethiopian eggplant or scarlet eggplant, naranjilla or lulo, cocona, turkey berry, pepino or pepino melon, tamarillo, wolf apple, garden huckleberry and "bush tomatoes".

Ornamentals

The species most widely seen in cultivation as ornamental plants are:Solanum aviculare - Solanum crispum - Solanum laciniatum - Solanum laxum - Solanum mammosum - Solanum pseudocapsicum - Solanum seaforthianum - Solanum mauritianum - Solanum wendlandii -

Medicine

Several species are locally used in folk medicine, particularly by native people who have long employed them.