Interesting Facts
Common Names
Click on the language to view common names.
Common Names in English:
Cockroach Berry, Cockroach-Berry, Devil´s-Apple, Devil's-Apple, Devils Apple, Indian Love Apple, Mata Cucaracha, Soda Apple
Common Names in Spanish:
Mata Cucaracha
Description
Family Solanaceae
Herbs, shrubs
, small trees
, or climbers
. Stems sometimes prickly, rarely thorny; hairs
simple
, branched, or stellate
, sometimes glandular
. Leaves alternate, solitary or paired
, simple or pinnately compound
, without stipules; leaf blade
entire, dentate
, lobed
, or divided
. Inflorescences terminal
, overtopped by continuing axes, appearing axillary
, extra-axillary
, or leaf opposed, often apparently umbellate
, racemose, paniculate
, clustered, or solitary flowers, rarely true cymes, sometimes bracteate
. Flowers mostly bisexual
, usually regular, 5-merous, rarely 4- or 6-9-merous. Calyx mostly lobed. Petals united
. Stamens as many as corolla lobes
and alternate with them, inserted
within corolla, all alike or 1 or more reduced; anthers
dehiscing longitudinally or by apical pores
. Ovary 2-5-locular; placentation mostly axile
; ovules usually numerous
. Style 1. Fruiting calyx often becoming enlarged, mostly persistent
. Fruit a berry or capsule. Seeds with copious
endosperm; embryo mostly curved
.
About 95 genera with 2300 species: best represented in western tropical
America, widespread in temperate
and tropical regions
; 20 genera (ten introduced
) and 101 species in China.
Some species of Solanaceae are known in China only by plants
cultivated in ornamental
or specialty gardens: Atropa belladonna Linnaeus, Cyphomandra betacea (Cavanilles) Sendtner, Brugmansia suaveolens (Willdenow) Berchtold & Presl, Nicotiana alata Link & Otto, and Solanum jasminoides Paxton.[1]
Genus Solanum
Herbs, shrubs
, climbers
, or small trees
, sometimes prickly; hairs
simple
, branched, or stellate
, sometimes glandular
. Leaves solitary or paired
, simple or pinnately compound
, mostly petiolate
; leaf blade
entire, dentate
, lobed
, or parted
. Inflorescences axillary
, extra-axillary
, or leaf opposed, mostly racemose, paniclulate, umbellate
, fasciculate, or solitary flowers, without bracts; peduncle branched or not, sometimes obsolete
. Flowers bisexual
or andromonoecious, mostly actinomorphic
, often 5-merous. Calyx mostly lobed partway and splitting
further at sinuses. Corolla mostly rotate or stellate. Stamens inserted
high in corolla tube
; anthers
often connivent or connate
around style, dehiscing by apical pores
, often later splitting longitudinally. Ovary 2-5-locular, with enlarged placentae; ovules axile
, numerous
. Stigma small. Fruiting calyx persistent, sometimes enlarged and enclosing berry. Berries
mostly juicy. Seeds discoid
or lenticular
; embryo strongly curved
.
About 1200 species: most in tropical
and subtropical
regions, especially in the Americas; 41 species in China, about half introduced
from elsewhere.[2]
Physical Description
Species Solanum capsicoides
Herbs or subshrubs , erect or sprawling , 30-60(-100) cm tall, copiously armed with pale yellow, needlelike prickles, pubescent with coarse , many-celled simple hairs . Stems conspicuously white lenticellate , glabrescent to pilose ; prickles straight to slightly recurved, 0.5-1.8 cm. Leaves paired ; petiole stout, 2-7 cm; leaf blade broadly ovate , 5-13 × 4-12 cm, with many-celled simple hairs adaxially, glabrous or hairy only along veins abaxially, prickly along veins on both surfaces, base cordate, margin 5-7-lobed to halfway, apex acute or acuminate. Inflorescences extra-axillary , racemose, 1-4-flowered; peduncle unbranched. Pedicel 5-12 mm. Calyx cup-shaped, ca. 5 × 8 mm; lobes ovate, pubescent as on stems. Corolla white, greenish at base; lobes lanceolate, ca. 12 × 4 mm. Filaments 2.5 mm; anthers lanceolate, ca. 6 mm. Ovary minutely stipitate glandular . Style 7-8 mm. Fruiting pedicel 2-2.5 cm. Fruiting calyx copiously armed, somewhat enlarged, not covering fruit. Berry orange-red, subglobose, 3.5-6 cm in diam., mesocarp white, spongy . Seeds yellowish, discoid , with a conspicuous , thin orbicular wing, 4-6 mm in diam. Fl. Jun-Aug, fr. Aug-Oct. [source]
Habit: Subshrub , Shrub
Flowers: Bloom Period: blooms repeatedly • Flower Color: near white, white
Size/Age/Growth
Size: 24-36" tall.
Habitat
Wastelands, near roadsides, open forests
, thickets; 200-1500 m
(Ref.
103654).
Biology
Reproduction
Duration: Annual
Growth
Culture: Space 18-24" apart.
Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun .
Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11. (map)
Taxonomy
- Domain:
Eukaryota
(
)
- Whittaker & Margulis,1978
- eukaryotes
- Kingdom:
Plantae
()
- Haeckel, 1866
- Plants
- Subkingdom:
Viridaeplantae
()
- Cavalier-Smith, 1981
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
()
- Sinnott, 1935 Ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998
- Vascular Plants
- Subphylum:
Euphyllophytina
()
- Infraphylum:
Radiatopses
()
- Kenrick & Crane, 1997
- Class:
Magnoliopsida
()
- Brongniart, 1843
- Dicotyledons
- Subclass:
Lamiidae
()
- Takhtajan Ex Reveal, 1992
- Superorder:
Solananae
()
- R. Dahlgren Ex Reveal, 1992
- Order:
Solanales
()
- Dumortier, 1829
- Family:
Solanaceae
()
- Adans., 1763, Nom. Cons.
- Potato Family
- Subfamily:
Solanoideae
()
- Subfamily:
Solanoideae
(
- Family:
Solanaceae
(
- Order:
Solanales
(
- Superorder:
Solananae
(
- Subclass:
Lamiidae
(
- Class:
Magnoliopsida
(
- Infraphylum:
Radiatopses
(
- Subphylum:
Euphyllophytina
(
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
(
- Subkingdom:
Viridaeplantae
(
- Kingdom:
Plantae
(
Unambiguous Synonyms
- Solanum aculeatissimum sensu Schulz, Non Jacq.
- Solanum bodinieri H. Lé
- Solanum ciliatum Lam.
- Solanum ciliatum Lamarck.
Notes
A tentatively accepted name
in the RHS Horticultural Database.
Name
Status: Accepted Name. Latest taxonomic
scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000
Place of publication
: Auct.
syn.
meth. stirp. hort. reg. Taur. 12. 1773 (Mélanges Philos. Math. Soc. Roy. Turin 5:64. 1774)
Name verified on 13-Nov-2002 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last updated: 27-Oct-2006
Similar Species
Members of the genus Solanum
ZipcodeZoo has pages for 6217 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:
S. abancayense · S. abbottianum · S. abbottii · S. aberrans · S. abitaguense · S. abollatum · S. abortivum · S. abutilifolium · S. abutiloides · S. abyssinicum · S. acanthifolium · S. acanthocalyx · S. acanthocarpum · S. acanthodapis · S. acanthodes · S. acanthoideum · S. acaule (Wild Andean Potato) · S. acaule albicans · S. acaule f. incuyo · S. acaule subsp. aemulans · S. acaule subsp. albicans · S. acaule subsp. palmirense · S. acaule subsp. punae · S. acaule var. aemulans · S. acaule var. albicans · S. acaule var. caulescens · S. acaule var. checcae · S. acaule var. punae · S. acaule var. subexinterruptum · S. acayucense · S. accedens · S. accrescens · S. acerifolium · S. acerosum · S. acetosaefolium · S. achacachense · S. aciculare · S. acidochondrum · S. acroglossum · S. acroleucum · S. acropterum · S. acroscopicum · S. acroscopicum ochoa · S. actaeabotrys · S. actaeibotrys · S. actaibotrys · S. actephilum · S. actinocalyx · S. aculeastrum (Sodaapple Nightshade) · S. aculeatissimum · S. aculeatum · S. aculeatum f. typicum · S. aculeiger · S. aculeolatum · S. acuminatissimum · S. acuminatum · S. acutangulum · S. acutifolium · S. acutilobatum · S. acutilobum · S. acutosepalum · S. adelense · S. adelphum · S. adenochlamys · S. adenophorum · S. adenophorum var. adenophorum · S. adenophorum var. indivisum · S. adenophorum var. typicum · S. adenotrichum · S. adhaerens · S. adoense · S. adscendens (Sonoita Nightshade) · S. adspersum · S. adulterinum · S. adventitium · S. aegyptiacum · S. aemulans · S. aemulans et · S. aenictum · S. aethiopicum (African Bitter Pea-Aubergine) · S. aethiopicum 'Black Stem' · S. aethiopicum 'Burkina Faso' (Eggplant) · S. aethiopicum gilo · S. aethiopicum 'Gilo Black Stem' (Mock Tomato Mini Pumpkins) · S. aethiopicum group · S. aethiopicum 'Jaxatu Soxna' (African Eggplant) · S. aethiopicum 'Jilo Tingua Verde Claro' (Indian Eggplant) · S. aethiopicum 'Keur M'bir N'dao' (African Eggplant) · S. aethiopicum 'N'drowa' (African Eggplant) · S. aethiopicum 'N'galam' (African Eggplant) · S. aethiopicum 'N'goyo' (African Eggplant) · S. aethiopicum 'Ruffled Red' (Mock Tomato Mini Pumpkins) · S. aethiopicum 'Turkish Orange' (Mock Tomato Mini Pumpkins) · S. aethiopicum var. integrifolium · S. aethiopoides · S. aff. stenophyllum · S. affine · S. africanum · S. afzelii · S. aggerum
More Info
- Search for Pictures: images.google.com
- Search for Scholarly Articles: Google Scholar
- Search using Scientific Name and Vernacular Names: All the Web | AltaVista Canada | AltaVista | Excite | Google | HotBot | Lycos
- Search using Specialized Databases: GenBank | Medline | Scirus | CISTI/CAL | Agricola Periodicals | Agricola Books
Further Reading
- Annali di botanica. Roma, Tipografia F. Failli [etc.] ITA url p. 19.
- Dandy, J. E. 1970. Annotated list of the new names published in Allioni's Auctarium ad synopsium stirpium horti reg. taurinensis. Taxon 19:625.
- Gómez-Pompa, A. & V. Sosa, eds. 1978–. Flora de Veracruz. (F Veracruz)
- Howard, R. 1974–1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles. (F LAnt)
- Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening. (Dict Gard)
- L. d'A. Freire de Varvalho. 1997. Diversidade taxônomica das Solanáceas no estado do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) - II - Lycianthes e Solanum. Albertoa 4:286.
- Nee, M. 1979. Patterns in biogeography in Solanum, section Acanthphora. In: Hawkes, J. G. et al., eds., The biology and taxonomy of the Solanacae. (Biol Solan) 574.
- Nee, M. 1991. Synopsis of Solanum section Acanthophora: A group of interest for glycoalkaloids. In: Hawkes, J. G. et al., eds., Solanaceae III: taxonomy, chemistry, evolution. (Solan III) 261.
- Nee, M. 1999. Synopsis of Solanum in the New World. In: Nee, M. et al., eds., Solanaceae IV: advances in biology and utilization. (Solan IV) 327.
- Padua, L. S. de et al., eds. 1999. Medicinal and poisonous plants 1. Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA). (Pl Res SEAs) 12(1):457.
- Symon, D. E. 1981. A revision of the genus Solanum in Australia. J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 4:1–367.
- Welman, W. G. 2003. The genus Solanum (Solanaceae) in southern Africa: subgenus Leptostemonum, the introduced sections Acanthophora and Torva. Bothalia 33:5–8.
- Whalen, M. D. 1984. Conspectus of species groups in Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum. Gentes Herb. 12:253. [mentions].
- Kuang Ko-zen & Lu An-ming, eds. 1978. Solanaceae. Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 67(1): 1-175.
- Kuang Ko-zen & Lu An-ming, eds. 1978. Solanaceae. Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 67(1): 1-175.
Notes
Contributors
- Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
- Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2006. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed October 4, 2006.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed March 23, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from provider.
- "Solanum capsicoides". in Flora of China Vol. 17 Page 323. Published by Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.
- USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL (May 01, 2008)
Data Sources
Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 29, 2007:
- Australian National Herbarium
- , Australian National Herbarium
- Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Bishop Museum Natural History Specimen Data
- Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Virtual Herbarium Darwin Core format
- Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad
- , Biodiversidad de Costa Rica
- Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden
- National Herbarium of New South Wales, NSW herbarium collection
- UK National Biodiversity Network, Botanical Society of the British Isles - Vascular Plants Database
- USDA PLANTS, USDA PLANTS Database
Identifiers
- Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2669389
- Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-505261
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13762683
- Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:818607-1
- GRIN Nomen Number: 100900
- Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 505261
- U.S.D.A. Plant Symbol: SOAC
- Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 62459
Footnotes
- Zhi-Yun Zhang, Anmin Lu & William G. D'Arcy "Solanaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 17 Page 300. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
- "Solanum". in Flora of China Vol. 17 Page 314. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
