Singh Sahib, If completed, the eflora india would be most document aspect of Indian Bio-diversity after birds & mammals.
-- Regards Rajesh Sachdev On 13 June 2010 18:47, Gurcharan Singh <[email protected]> wrote: > 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/ > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "efloraofindia" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]<indiantreepix%[email protected]> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "efloraofindia" group. 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