Solanum americanum
Solanum americanum | |
---|---|
American Nightshade | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Asterids |
Order: | Solanales |
Family: | Solanaceae |
Genus: | Solanum |
Species: | S. americanum |
Binomial name | |
Solanum americanum Mill. | |
Synonyms | |
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Solanum americanum, commonly known as American nightshade or Glossy nightshade is a herbaceous flowering plant of wide though uncertain native range. The certain native range encompasses the tropics and subtropics of the Americas, Melanesia, New Guinea, and Australia.[1][2]
The plant is widely naturalised around the Tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans, including Hawaiʻi, Indochina, Madagascar and Africa, possibly via anthropogenic introduction in these locales.
It can be confused with other black nightshade species in the Solanum nigrum complex.[3]
Contents
[show]Description
It grows up to 1–1.5 metres (39–59 in) tall and is an annual or short-lived perennial. The leaves are alternate on the branch, and vary greatly in size, up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long and 7 centimetres (2.8 in) broad, with a 4-centimetre (1.6 in) petiole and a coarsely wavy or toothed margin. The flowers are about 1 cm diameter, white or occasionally light purple, with yellow stamens. The fruit is a shiny black berry 5–10 millimetres (0.20–0.39 in) diameter, containing numerous small seeds.
Taxonomy
Solanum americanum is a variable taxon. It is considered by some botanists to be more than one species, and others recognise subspecies.[1]
Toxicity
Research indicating the presence of toxic glycoalkaloids prompted a warning to be careful on the use of S.americanum as herbal medicine and food.[3] The green fruit is particularly poisonous. Ripe berries and foliage may also cause poisoning.[4] This is via high levels of the glycoalkaloids, solanine and solamargine,[5] as well as the tropane alkaloids scopolamine (hyoscine) and hyoscyamine (an isomer of atropine).[6]
Significant amounts of solasodine(0.65%) have also been found in the green berries.[7] Eating unripe berries has caused the death of children.[4] The ripe fruit also contains 0.3-0.45% solasonine.[7] Toxicity varies widely depending on the variety and the location,[4] and poisonous plant experts advise: "...unless you are certain that the berries are from an edible strain, leave them alone." [8]
Food
In Africa, New Guinea and Oceania the young green shoots of Solanum americanum are cooked and eaten as greens.[9][10] However care should be taken since numerous toxins are reported with levels varying with local conditions and varieties.[4][7][8]
Medicine
It is used as a medicine in Cameroon, Kenya, Hawaiʻi, Panama, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania.[citation needed]
See also
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