Solanum opacum

Solanum opacum is a species of flowering plant in the family Solanaceae.[1] It is referred to by the common names green berry nightshade, or morelle verte and is a sprawling annual native to eastern Australia. It is part of the black nightshade group of Solanum species.

Solanum opacum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Solanum
Species:
S. opacum
Binomial name
Solanum opacum
A.Braun & C.D.Bouché
Synonyms[1]

Solanum allanii Polgar
Solanum apopsilomenum Bitter
Solanum brachypetalum Bitter
Solanum fauriei H.Lév.
Solanum forsteri Seem.
Solanum insulae-paschalis Bitter
Solanum microtatanthum Bitter
Solanum nigrum var. pitcairnense F.Br.

Description

A sprawling annual herb, minutely hairy, and with no prickles. The leaves are ovate to lanceolate, 3–6 cm long and 1–2 cm wide, usually with shallowly lobed margins. Both leaf surfaces are green and sparsely hairy. The petiole is 1–4 cm long. Inflorescences 2–5-flowered with a white stellate corolla 8–12 mm diameter. The berry is 8–10 mm diam., and green when mature.[2]

Plant chemistry

An unidentified alkaloidal aglycone (0.4%) has been detected in the fruits of S.opacum, but none in the leaves or stems.[3]

Food

Uncommonly cultivated as a "rare" fruit. The ripe berries are eaten when yellowish green, and the flavor is described as spicy-sweet.[4]

References
  1. "Solanum opacum A.Braun & C.D.Bouché". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  2. Solanum opacum A.Braun & Bouché, New South Wales Flora Online
  3. Everist,S.L., (1981) Poisonous Plants of Australia, Angus & Robertson Publishers, p669, ISBN 0-207-14228-9
  4. Seed Catalog, Solana Seeds
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.