home   about   search

biodiversity explorer

the web of life in southern Africa

Genus: Solanum (Potato, Brinjal genus)

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Asterids > Euasterid I > Order: Solanales > Family: Solanaceae

There are about 1400 species in this cosmopolitan genus, most of which are native to the tropics. There are 36 species native to southern Africa, 20 species naturalised and an additional 26 species cultivated in the region. The genus includes the Potato Solanum tuberosum and the Aubergine / Eggplant / Brinjal Solanum melongena.

Solanum elaeagnifolium (Silver-leaf bitter apple, Satansbos), Solanum mauritianum (Bugweed, Luisboom), Solanum seaforthianum (Potato creeper, Aartappelranker) and Solanum sisymbriifolium (Wild tomato, Dense - thorned bitter apple, Wildetamatie, Doringtamatie) are declared Category 1 invasive plants in South Africa.

Species native to southern Africa

List from Plants of southern Africa - an online checklist (SANBI), Flora of Zimbabwe and Flora of Mozambique.

Solanum aculeastrum (Goat apple)

See Flora of Zimbabwe.

 

Solanum aculeatissimum (Sodom apple)

See Flora of Zimbabwe.

 

Solanum africanum

 

Solanum anguivi

See Flora of Zimbabwe.

 

Solanum betaceum

See Flora of Zimbabwe.

 

Solanum burchellii

 

Solanum capense

 

Solanum catombelense

 

Solanum damarense

 

Solanum delagoense

 

Solanum dinteri

 

Solanum giftbergense

 

Solanum giganteum (Healing-leaf tree)

 

Solanum goetzei

 

Solanum guineense

 

Solanum lichtensteinii

 

Solanum linnaeanum

 

Solanum litoraneum

 

Solanum macrocarpon

 

Solanum multiglandulosum

 

Solanum namaquense

 

Solanum panduriforme

See Flora of Zimbabwe.

 

Solanum retroflexum

 

Solanum richardii

Recorded from Zimbabwe and Mozambique. See Flora of Zimbabwe.

 

Solanum rigescens

 

Solanum rigescentoides

 

Solanum rubetorum

 

Solanum sodomaeodes

 

Solanum supinum

 

Solanum tarderemotum

Recorded from Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

 

Solanum terminale

See Flora of Zimbabwe.

 

Solanum tettense

See Flora of Zimbabwe.

 

Solanum tomentosum

 

Solanum torreanum

 

Solanum usaramense

 

Solanum zanzibarense

 

Species naturalised in southern Africa

List from Plants of southern Africa - an online checklist (SANBI), Flora of Zimbabwe and Flora of Mozambique.

Solanum americanum

 

Solanum capsicoides

 

Solanum chenopodioides

 

Solanum chrysotrichum

 

Solanum elaeagnifolium

 

Solanum incanum

Recorded from Zimbabwe and Mozambique; it is uncertain whether indigenous or naturalised in southern Africa. In Flora of Zimbabwe it is considered to be 'probably introduced', so that is how it has been listed here.

 

Solanum laxum

 

Solanum lycopersicum

Recorded from Zimbabwe. See Flora of Zimbabwe.

 

Solanum mauritianum (Bug tree)

See Flora of Zimbabwe.

 

Solanum nigrum (Black nightshade)

 

Solanum pseudocapsicum (Jerusalem cherry)

 

Solanum rostratum

 

Solanum sarrachoides

 

Solanum seaforthianum (Potato creeper)

See Flora of Zimbabwe.

 

Solanum sisymbriifolium (Dense-thorned bitter apple)

 

Solanum torvum

 

Solanum triflorum

 

Solanum tuberosum (Potato)

 

Solanum viarum

 

Solanum villosum

 

Other species, cultivated in southern Africa

List from Glen (2002).

Solanum ajanhuiri

Native to Peru and Bolivia.

 

Solanum andigenum

Native to Peru.

 

Solanum aviculare (Kangaroo apple)

Native to Australia and New Zealand.

 

Solanum brevidens

Native to Chile.

 

Solanum burbankii

Native to California.

 

Solanum capsicastrum

Native to Brazil.

 

Solanum curtilobum

Native to Peru and Bolivia.

 

Solanum dulcamara (Woody nightshade)

Native to Eurasia.

 

Solanum gracilipes

Native to India and Pakistan.

 

Solanum jasminoides

Native to Brazil.

 

Solanum juzepczukii

Native to Peru and Bolivia.

 

Solanum laciniatum

Native to Australasia.

 

Solanum lanciforme

Native to Mexico.

 

Solanum macranthum

Native to tropical Africa.

 

Solanum mammosum (Macaw bush)

Native to tropical America.

 

Solanum melongena (Aubergine, Brinjal, Eggplant)

Native to the Old World tropics.

 

Solanum melanocerasum (Huckleberry)

Native to the USA.

 

Solanum muricatum (Pepino)

Native to Peru.

 

Solanum nava

Native to the Canary Isles.

 

Solanum polyadenium

Native to Mexico.

 

Solanum quitoense (Naranjilla)

Native to South America.

 

Solanum rantonnetii

Native to Argentina.

 

Solanum rybinii

Native to Colombia.

 

Solanum stenotomum

Native to Peru and Bolivia.

 

Solanum sucrense

Native to Bolivia.

 

Solanum tenuifilamentum

Native to Peru and Bolivia.

 

Herbivores in southern Africa

Acherontia atropos (Death's Head Hawkmoth).

The caterpillars eat the leaves of many species in the Solanaceae.

Lepidoptera: Sphingidae

 
Coelonia mauritii (Fulvous Hawkmoth)

Caterpillars recorded eating the leaves of Solanum hermannii.

Lepidoptera: Sphingidae