Journey towards eFlora of India: Small steps
Solanum
Some days back I had written to Tabish ji about status of our databases and
journey towards the preparation of eFlora of India. We seem to have reached
collecting some data concerning roughly 20 per cent of Indian Flora. A rich
eFlora should have a few photographs of each species (the major strength of
our eFlora project), descriptions of species (already a part of Flowers of
India, but some elaboration needed), Correct nomenclature status (partially
achieved, authorities and references need be entered). Our databases also
have added strength of having local names of plants in different languages.
To my mind two major activities need to be undertaken:
1. 1. Preparation of list of species under each genus reported in
India (wild as well as cultivated) so that members can focus on the
remaining species and upload their photographs to ensure complete
representation of each genus.
2. 2. To prepare easy identification keys for the species reported from
India, to help members and surfers easy identification of species
The situation with regard to present documentation of Indian Flora is that
we still have to depend on regional Floras, and older these get, less
reliable they become. There is no better example than the genus Solanum,
which has been focus of our attention periodically and recently enthusiastic
efforts of Yazdy ji (who says that only trained taxonomists, with sound
knowledge of technical details only can contribute to our floristic
knowledge?, we have to learn a lot from persons like him; Garg ji, Dinesh
ji, Tabish ji and several other veterans have already proved that) and Raghu
ji uploading many photographs. I begin with this genus building up taxonomic
status of species, and request other members to suggest improvements so that
we know species representation in our subcontinent. You may please look up
in recent revisions, local floras and suggest species that needs to be
added. I have tentatively grouped them for easy reference and
identification.
A. Herbs without prickles
1. 1. *Solanum nigrum* L.:BLACK NIGHTSHADE, COMMON HIGHTSHADE-- Mature
berries black, globose, 8-10 mm across; peduncles almost twice as long as
pedicels; fruiting calyx appressed to fruit; corolla 8-10 mm across; anthers
2.5-3.5 mm long.
2. 2. *Solanum villosum *(L.) Moench. (syn: Solanum nigrum L. var.
villosum L.; eFlora of Pak.; S. alatum Moench.; S. luteum Mill; S. miniatum
Bernh. Ex Willd.; s. nigrum auct. (non L.)): RED NIGHTSHADE--Mature berries
orange to orange-red, ovoid, 6-8 mm across; peduncles shorter than or
equaling pedicels; anthers 2 mm long.
3. 3. *Solanum americanum* Mill. (syn: S. nigrum sensu Trimen Handb. Fl.
Ceylone 3: 231, 1895): AMERICAN NIGHTSHADE--Mature berries black, globose,
5-8 mm across; peduncle twice as long as pedicels; fruiting calyx spreading;
corolla 3-5 mm across; anthers 1-1.5 mm long.
4. 4. *Solanum lycopersicum* L. (syn: Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.):
TOMATO--Leaves pinnate compound; flowers yellow; calyx enlarging in fruit.
5. 5. * **Solanum tuberosus* L.: Potato-- plants tuberous; leaves
pinnate; flowers white or purplish
B. Herbs with Prickles
6. 6. *Solanum mammosum* L. : MACAWBUSH, NIPLEFRUIT--densely hairy and
prickly herb; flowers mauve; fruits ovoid-oblong, 4-7 cm long, yellow,
pointed, with several lobes near base
7. 7. *Solanum sisymbrifolium* Lam.: DENSE-THORN-BITTER-APPLE, STICKY
NIGHTSHADE--Prickly herb, leaves deeply pinnately lobed; flowers white;
fruit bright red, globose, 1-1.5 cm, enclosed in prickly calyx.
C. Herbs with woody base armed or unarmed
8. 8.* **Solanum melanogena* L.: EGG PLANT : Usually anarmed, sometimes
armed especially in wild; flocosse-pubescent; leaves sinuate; flowers
usually solitary, rarely few-flowered; corolla 2-4 cm across, bluish; fruits
globose or ovoid, more than 3 cm long.
9. 9. *Solanum integrifolium *Poir.: TOMATO EGG PLANT, SCARLET EGG
PLANT--Bushy herb, prickles hooked; plant scurfy; leaves sinuately lobed;
flowers white, in clusters of 2-6, 2 cm across; fruit globose, scarlet or
yellow, 4-6 cm across.
D. Climbers without prickles
10. 10. *Solanum laxum *Spreng (syn: S. jasminoides Paxt.): POTATO-VINE,
JASMINE NIGHTSHADE--Leaves simple, sometimes lobed at base; flowers white or
tinged blue.
11. 11. *Solanum dulcamara* L.: EUROPEAN BITTERSWEET—leaves simple, entire
or 3-lobed at base; fls. Violet spotted with green, 11-13 mm across; fruit
ovoid, scarlet, 8-10 mm across.
12. 12. *Solanum seaforthianum* Andr. (syn: S. venustum Kunth): BRAZILIAN
NIGHTSHADE, POTATO CREEPER-- Leaves pinnate; flowers lilac; fruits small,
globose, bright red.
E. Climbers with prickles
13. 13. *Solanum wendlandii* Hook.f.: COSTA RICAN NIGHTSHADE, GIANT
POTATO CREEPER, PARADISE FLOWER--Leaves pinnate, prickles curved; flowers
lilac, 5-6 cm across; fruit globose.
F. Shrubs without prickles, flowers white
14. 14. *Solanum pseudo-capsicum* L.: JERUSALEM-CHERRY---Glabrous shrub;
leaves narrow-oblong to oblanceolate, entire; peduncle almost absent; fls
1-3 together, white, 1-1.5 cm across,; fruit 1-2 cm across, scarlet or
orange.
15. 15. *Solanum diphyllum *L.: TWOLEAF NIGHTSHADE—Glabrous hrubLeaves
elliptic , in unequal pairs; peduncle distinct 3-12 mm long; flowers more
than 3, white, 4-6 mm across; fruit erect, orange, 7-12 mm across, slightly
bilobed.
16. 16. *Solanum erianthum* D. Don (syn: S. verabscifolium L.): Big
eggplant, China flowerleaf—Single-stemmed shrub or small tree; leaves
towards tips of branches, with yellowish stellate hairs; inflorescence
bifurcating, felted; flowers creamy white; fruit globose, 1 cm across,
yellow covered with stellate hairs
G. Shrubs without prickles, flowers blue or purple
17. 17. *Solanum pubescens* Willd. Small shrub with ashy-grey tomentum;
four anthers 4 mm long, one almost 8 mm; fruit globose, glossy red, 1.5 cm
across.
18. 18. *Solanum mauritianum* Scop. (syn: s. auriculatum Ait.): Bug tree,
Wild tomato tree—Shrub or small tree, branches and leaves, grey-green, not
silvery white; leaf axils with small auricle-like leaves; corolla blue, 9-11
mm across; fruit globose, 1.5 cm across, orange-yellow, densely stellate
pubescent.
19. 19. *Solanum kurzii* Brace—Small tree with stellate tomentum; leaves
lobed; fls 8-10 mm across, purple.
H. Shrubs with prickles , prickles straight, without broad base;
flowers white
20. 20. *Solanum capsicoides* All. (syn: S. aculeatissimum Clarke in FBI
4:237 (non. Jacq.); S. ciliatum Lam.): COCKROACH-BERYY, DEVILS’ APPLE--Small
shrub not taller than 50 cm; prickles straight, needle-like; leaves acutely
lobed; calyx prickly; corolla 6 mm across; fruit globose 2.5 cm across, pale
green with dark green markings, orange red at maturity.
21. 21. *Solanum lasiocarpum *Scop. (syn: S. ferox Clarke FBI 4:233 (non
L.); S. straminifolium Gandhi & Saldanha Fl Hassan Dist. 462 (non Jacq.)):
INDIAN NIGHTSHADE, MAO QUI—Shrub with long straight prickles, densely
pubescent; leaves up to 40 cm long with short triangular lobes; infl.
Few-fld; corolla 1.2 cm across, white; fruit globose 2-3 cm across, orange,
densely covered with hairs.
I. Shrubs with prickles, prickles curved with broad base; flowers
white
22. 22. *Solanum torvum* Sw.: DEVIL’ FIG, PEA EGGPLANT,
TURKEYBERRY—branches stellate hairy; leaves coarsely sinuate, unequal sided
at base; inflorescence with numerous flowers, dichotomous; flowers 2-2.5 cm
across, white; fruit 8-12 mm across, globose, yellow turning orange.
23. 23. *Solanum anguivi* Lam. (syn: S. distichum Schum.; S. indicum auct.
(non L.); S. sodomeum L.); Shrub with spreading branches; prickles few,
short; stellate hairy; leaves elliptical-ovate or with 2–4 pairs of lobes,
base oblique; fls in raceme-like cyme, 5–15-flowered; corolla 6–12 mm
across, white, occasionally with pale purple veins on the outer surface;
fruit subglobose, 7–18 mm, green or white when young, red when ripe, in
clusters of up to 20 fruits.
24. 24. *Solanum hispidum *Pers.: DEVILS’ FIG—Hispid shrub or tree,
prickles curved down; leaves deeply pinnately lobed, ferruginous; corolla
white, 3 cm across; fruit globose, 15 mm across, yellowish brown.
25. 25. *Solanum aculeatissimum *Jacq. (syn: S. khasianum Cl.): DUTCH
EGGPLANT, LOVE APPLE—Shrub hirsute with long soft hairs, prickles up to 2 cm
long, with broad base, straight or slightly curved; leaves deeply lobed;
corolla white or pink, 2 cm across; berry globose, 2-3 cm across, pale
yellow.
26. 26. *Solanum viarum* Dunal (syn: S. khasianum Cl. var. chatterjeanum
S. Gupta): TROPICAL SODA APPLE—Small shrub with glandular hairs; prickles up
to 5 mm long, curved as well straight; infl 1-5 fld, peduncle reduced;
corolla white; berry pale yellow, 2-3 cm across.
J. Shrubs with prickles, prickles straight; flowers blue or violet
27. 27. *Solanum virginianum* L. (syn: S. xanthocarpum Schrad. & Wendl.;
S. surattense Burm.f.): YELLOW FRUIT NIGHTSHADE—Small prickly shrub up to 40
cm; prickles straight yellow; leaves deeply lobed, greenish and glabrescent;
fls 2 cm across, violet; fruit globose, yellow, 2 cm across.
K. Shrubs with prickles, prickles curved with broad base; flowers blue
or purple
28. 28. *Solanum violaceum * Ortega (syn: Solanum indicum Clarke in FBI 4:
234 (non L.); Slender shrub with short curved prickles; leaves lobed,
unequal at base; corolla-blue-purple, 2-2.5 cm across; fruit, globose,
orange, 1 cm across.
29. 29. *Solanum trilobatum* L.: Scrambling shrub, prickles curved; leaves
obtusely 3-5 lobed; infl. 3-9 fld; corolla purple, 2-3cm across; fruit
globose, 1.5 cm across, scarlet.
L. Shrubs with prickles on stem, not on leaves
30. 30. *Solanum giganteum *Jacq.: African holly—Single-stemmed tree-like;
prickles stout, short; leaves oblong-lanceolate, entire, glossy above,
silvery-white beneath; cymose clusters on 2-3 cm long peduncle; flowers
mauve, ca 1 cm across; fruit 9-11 mm across, globose, glossy red when
mature.
31. 31. *Solanum gracilipes* Decne—small shrub, hairs stellate; leaves
small, about 4 cm long, cordate; infl. 1-3 fld; fls 2 cm across.
--
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/
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