Solanum Plants

Solanum aviculare G. Forst.

Glabrous, unarmed, soft-wooded shrub to c. 3 m tall; stems angular, green or purplish. Lvs petiolate, 7–35 cm long, entire or pinnatisect (with 1–4 pairs of lobes extending to c. 10 mm from midrib) on the same plant. Lamina of entire lvs 2–7–(10) cm wide (lobes of pinnatisect lvs usually 0.5–3 cm wide, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, sometimes elliptic-lanceolate); base decurrent on petiole; apex subacute to acuminate. Cymes 2–12-flowered; peduncles to 12 cm long and slender at anthesis; pedicels pendent at fruiting. Calyx 4–7 mm long, accrescent; lobes broadly triangular, small, mucronate. Corolla 2.5–3.5 cm diam., usually mauve, paler towards margins, occasionally white, almost glabrous; lobes very broadly ovate, acute, slightly <to slightly>tube. Anthers 3–4 mm long. Berry 1.5–2.5 cm long, broadly ovoid or ellipsoid, orange, pendent; stone cells generally not conspicuous, <seeds. Seed <2 mm diam., ± obovoid and somewhat asymmetric.

This plant is commonly called as bullibulli, kangaroo apple in English and  poroporo, kohoho in New Zealand. Solanum aviculare is used in poultice for sores and ulcers. Sap applied to itch and scabies.

Solanum anomalum Thonn.

This plant is perennial, glabrescent, to 1.5 m tall. Stems terete at base, drying ridged, branching dichotomously. Petiole 1-3 cm; leaf blade ovate, elliptic, or ovate-lanceolate, 5-18 × 3-10 cm, papery, base obtuse, margin subentire, apex acuminate or obtuse; veins arcuate. Inflorescences solitary or up to 12-flowered clusters. Pedicel 1-2 cm, nodding, slightly thicker distally. Calyx cup-shaped, 2-2.5 × 3 mm, truncate. Corolla bright yellow, short campanulate, 5-8 × 6-8 mm; lobes ovate-deltate, recurved, 2-3.5 mm, minutely ciliolate. Filaments ca. 0.5 mm; anthers ca. 1.8 mm. Style 2.5-3 mm. Fruiting calyx not enlarged. Berry shiny, scarlet, 0.8-1.2 cm. Seeds are  pale yellow and discoid.

Crushed fruits applied to sores on the ears. Leaves and fruits sap drunk or taken by enema as a treatment for leprosy. Leaf sap drunk against gonorrhea. Fruits laxative, tonic and digestive.

Solanum botelhianum

It is commonly called as amourette blanche in French Guiana. Fruits are used to heal wounds and boils.

Solanum capense L.

In Africa its common names are isiThumana (Zulu), monyaku (South Sotho), umthumana (Xhosa).

Roots of Solanum capense L are used for urinary complaints, syphilis, venereal diseases and snakebite while Leaves used for ophthalmia and toothache.