"Horsenettle" and variants redirect here. If used for a particular species,
this name usually applies to the Carolina Horsenettle.
Solanum is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants, which include two food
crops of the highest economic importance, the potato and the tomato.
It also contains the nightshades and horsenettles, as well as numerous plants
cultivated for their ornamental flowers and fruit.
Solanum species show a wide range of growing habits, such as annual 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
strychnos, most likely S. nigrum. Its derivation is uncertain, possibly
stemming from the Latin word sol, meaning "sun," referring to its status
as a plant of the sun. Another possibility is that the root was solare,
meaning "to soothe," or solamen, meaning "a comfort," which would refer to the
soothing effects of the plant upon ingestion.
Nightshades 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. The black nightshade is also generally
considered poisonous, but its fully ripened fruit and foliage are cooked and
eaten in some areas. The deadly nightshade is not in the Solanum genus,
but is a member of the wider Solanaceae family.
Food crops Most parts of the plants, especially the
green parts and unripe fruit, are poisonous to humans, but 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 It should be noted that 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
Eggplant, S. melongena Other species are significant food crops
regionally, such as Ethiopian eggplant and gilo, naranjilla or lulo, turkey
berry, pepino, Tamarillo, or the "bush tomatoes".
Ornamentals The species most widely seen in
cultivation as ornamental plants are:- S. aviculare
S. capsicastrum S. crispum
S. laciniatum S. laxum
S. pseudocapsicum S. rantonnetii
S. seaforthianum S. wendlandii
Medicine Poisonings associated with certain
species of Solanum are not uncommon and may be fatal. However, several species
are locally used in folk medicine, particularly by native peoples who have
long employed them. Ecology
Solanum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera
species - see list of Lepidoptera that feed on Solanum.
Systematics 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 suggests 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 Solanum granuloso-leprosum
Section Cyphomandropsis Solanum glaucophyllum Desf. –
Waxy-leaved Nightshade Section Pachyphylla
Solanum betaceum Cav. – Tamarillo Solanum exiguum
Solanum roseum = Subgenus Leptostemonum =
Section Acanthophora Solanum aculeatissimum Jacq. – Indian
Nightshade Solanum atropurpureum Schrank –
Five-minute Plant Solanum capsicoides – Cockroach Berry,
polohauaiʻi Solanum mammosum – Nipplefruit, Titty
Fruit, Cow's Udder, "apple of Sodom" Solanum palinacanthum Dunal
Solanum viarum Dunal – Tropical Soda Apple
Section Androceras: 12 spp.[1] Series Androceras
Series Violaceiflorum Series Pacificum
Section AnisantherumSection CampanulataSection CrinitumSection
CroatianumSection Erythrotrichum Solanum robustum H.L.Wendl. – Shrubby
Nightshade Section GraciliflorumSection
Herposolanum Solanum wendlandii Hook.f. – Giant
Potatocreeper Section Irenosolanum
Solanum incompletum Dunal – Pōpolo kū mai
Solanum nelsonii Dunal – Nelson's Horsenettle, ʻĀkia
Solanum sandwicense Hook. & Arn. – Hawaiian Horsenettle, Pōpoloʻaiakeakua
Section IschyracanthumSection Lasiocarpa Solanum lasiocarpum Dunal
Solanum 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
Nightshade Solanum carolinense – Carolina
Horsenettle, Radical Weed, Sand Brier, Devil's Tomato, "bull nettle",
"tread-softly", "apple of Sodom", "wild tomato"
Solanum citrullifolium A.Braun – Watermelon Nightshade
Solanum dimidiatum Raf. – Torrey's Nightshade
Solanum 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
Nightshade Solanum incanum L.
Solanum linnaeanum – Devil's Apple, "apple of Sodom"
Solanum macrocarpon L. Solanum marginatum L.f. – White-margined
Nightshade Solanum melongena – Eggplant, Aubergine
Solanum rostratum Dunal – Buffalo Bur, Texas Thistle
Solanum sisymbriifolium Lam. – Sticky Nightshade, fire-and-ice
Solanum virginianum L. Section Micracantha
Solanum jamaicense Mill. – Jamaican Nightshade
Solanum lanceifolium Jacq. – Lance-leaved Nightshade
Solanum tampicense Dunal – Wetland Nightshade
Section MonodolichopusSection NycteriumSection 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, kutjera Solanum cleistogamum – "bush tomato",
merne mwanyerne Solanum ellipticum – Potato Bush, "bush
tomato" Solanum pyracanthon Lam. – Porcupine
Tomato, Devil's Thorn Solanum quadriloculatum F.Muell. – "bush
tomato", "wild tomato" Section Persicariae
Solanum bahamense L. – Bahama Nightshade, Canker Berry, berengena de
playa Solanum ensifolium Dunal – Erubia
Section PolytrichumSection PugiunculiferaSection SomalanumSection
Torva Solanum asteropilodes
Solanum chrysotrichum Schltdl. – Giant Devil's-fig
Solanum lanceolatum – Orangeberry Nightshade
Solanum paniculatum – Jurubeba Solanum torvum – Turkey Berry, Devil's
Fig, Prickly Nightshade, Shoo-shoo Bush, Wild Eggplant, Pea Eggplant
= Subgenus Lyciosolanum = Solanum guineense L.
= Subgenus Solanum sensu stricto = Section AfrosolanumSection
Anarrhichomenum Solanum baretiae
Section Archaesolanum Solanum aviculare – Poroporo, Kangaroo
Apple Section Basarthrum
Solanum catilliflorum Solanum muricatum – Pepino dulce, pepino
melon, melon pear, "pepino", "tree melon"
Solanum perlongistylum Solanum tergosericeum
Section BenderianumSection Brevantherum Solanum bullatum
Solanum erianthum D.Don – Potato Tree, "Mullein Nightshade"
Solanum mauritianum – Woolly Nightshade, Ear-leaved Nightshade, Flannel Weed,
Bugweed, Tobacco Weed, Kerosene Plant, "wild tobacco"
Solanum evolvuloides Section Dulcamara
Solanum crispum – Chilean Potato Vine, Chilean Nightshade, Chilean Potato Tree
Solanum dulcamara – Bittersweet Solanum imbaburense
Solanum laxum Spreng. – Jasmine Nightshade
Solanum leiophyllum Solanum seaforthianum Andrews –
Brazilian Nightshade Solanum triquetrum Cav. – Texas
Nightshade Solanum wallacei – Wallace's Nightshade,
Catalina Nightshade, Clokey's Nightshade, "wild tomato"
Solanum xanti – Purple Nightshade, San Diego Nightshade
Section HerpystichumSection Holophylla Solanum diphyllum L. – Twin-leaved
nightshade Solanum pseudocapsicum – Jerusalem
Cherry, Madeira Winter Cherry, "winter cherry"
Solanum pseudoquina Section Juglandifolia
Solanum juglandifolium Solanum ochranthum
Section LemurisolanumSection Lycopersicoides
Solanum lycopersicoides Dunal – Peruvian Wolfpeach
Solanum sitiens Section Lycopersicon
Solanum arcanum Peralta – "wild tomato" Solanum chilense
Solanum corneliomulleri Solanum huaylasense Peralta
Solanum peruvianum L. – Peruvian Nightshade, "wild tomato"
Solanum cheesmaniae Fosberg Solanum chmielewskii
Solanum galapagense S.C.Darwin & Peralta Solanum habrochaites
Solanum lycopersicum – Tomato Solanum neorickii
Solanum pennelli Solanum pimpinellifolium – Currant
Tomato Section MacronesiotesSection
NormaniaSection Petota Solanum albornozii
Solanum bulbocastanum – Ornamental Nightshade
Solanum bukasovii Juz. ex Rybin Solanum burtonii
Solanum cardiophyllum – Heart-leaved Nightshade
Solanum chilliasense Solanum commersonii Dunal – Commerson's
Nightshade Solanum demissum Lindl. – Dwarf Wild
Potato Solanum jamesii – Wild Potato
Solanum minutifoliolum Solanum paucijugum
Solanum phureja Juz. & Bukasov Solanum pinnatisectum Dunal –
Tansy-leaved Nightshade Solanum regularifolium
Solanum stoloniferum Schltdl. – Tigna Potato, Fendler's Horsenettle
Solanum stenotomum Solanum ternatum
Solanum tuberosum – Potato Section PteroideaSection
QuadrangulareSection RegmandraSection Solanum
Solanum adscendens Sendtner – Sonoita Nightshade
Solanum americanum Mill. – American Nightshade, American Black Nightshade,
Glossy Nightshade Solanum chenopodioides Lam. – Goosefoot
Nightshade, Slender Nightshade Solanum douglasii Dunal – Green-spotted
Nightshade Solanum interius Rydb.
Solanum nigrescens M.Martens & Galeotti – Divine Nightshade
Solanum nigrum L. – European Black Nightshade, "black nightshade"
Solanum pseudogracile Heiser – Glowing Nightshade
Solanum ptychanthum – West Indian Nightshade, Eastern Black Nightshade
Solanum retroflexum – Wonderberry, Sunberry
Solanum sarrachoides – Hairy Nightshade Solanum scabrum Mill. – Garden
Huckleberry Solanum triflorum Nutt. – Cut-leaved
Nightshade Solanum villosum Mill. – Yellow
Nightshade = Other notable species =
Solanum amygdalifolium Steud. Solanum bellum
Solanum cajanumense Solanum chimborazense
Solanum chrysasteroides Solanum cinnamomeum
Solanum conocarpum Rich. ex Dunal – Marron Bacoba
Solanum cowiei Martine Solanum cremastanthemum
Solanum davisense Whalen – Davis' Horsenettle
Solanum densepilosulum Solanum donianum Walp. – Mullein
Nightshade Solanum dolichorhachis
Solanum fallax Solanum ferox L. – Hairy-fruited
Eggplant, Thai Hairy-fruited Eggplant Solanum fortunense
Solanum furcatum – Forked Nightshade Solanum glabratum Dunal
Solanum haleakalaense H.St.John Solanum hindsianum Benth. – Hinds'
Nightshade Solanum hypermegethes
Solanum hypocalycosarcum Solanum interandinum
Solanum latiflorum Solanum leucodendron
Solanum lumholtzianum Bartlett – Sonoran Nightshade
Solanum luteoalbum Solanum lycocarpum – Wolf Apple,
fruta-de-lobo, lobeira Solanum melissarum Bohs
Solanum nudum Dunal – Forest Nightshade Solanum ovum-fringillae
Solanum paralum Solanum parishii A.Heller – Parish's
Nightshade Solanum physalifolium Rusby
Solanum pinetorum Solanum polygamum Vahl – Cakalaka Berry
Solanum pyrifolium Lam. Solanum pubescens Willd.
Solanum riedlei Dunal – Riedle's Nightshade
Solanum rudepannum Dunal Solanum rugosum Dunal – tabacon aspero
Solanum sibundoyense Solanum sodiroi
Solanum sycocarpum Solanum tenuipes Bartlett – Fancy
Nightshade Solanum tobagense
Solanum trilobatum L. Solanum umbelliferum – Bluewitch
Nightshade Solanum verrogeneum Berengena
Solanum violaceum Ortega Solanum viride Spreng. – Green
Nightshade Solanum woodburyi Howard – Woodbury's
Nightshade = Formerly placed here =
Some plants of yet other genera also were placed in Solanum in former times:
Chamaesaracha coronopus 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. loxense, S. mucronatum, S. retrofractum var. acuminatum, S.
violaceum Blume, S. violifolium f. typicum, S. virgatum notst β albiflorum,
S. uniflorum Lag. or S. uniflorum var. berterianum.
References External links
Dressler, S.; Schmidt, M. & Zizka, G.. "Solanum". African plants – a Photo
Guide. Frankfurt/Main: Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg.
Meet the TomTato: Tomatoes and potatoes grown as one - CBS News