Solanum mauritianum

Scop.

Wild tobacco tree

Solanaceae Edible: Fruit, Caution Potential hazards — see below 17,728 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Solanum mauritianum is a small tree or shrub native to South America, including Northern Argentina, Southern Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Its common names include earleaf nightshade (or "ear-leaved nightshade"), woolly nightshade, flannel weed, bugweed, tobacco weed, tobacco bush, wild tobacco and kerosene plant.

Description

A shrub or small tree. It grows 4 m tall. It has a woolly covering. The leaves are alternate. There are 2 leaf like structures near the base of the leaf. These are 0.5-2 cm long. The leaves are oval to sword shaped and 10-30 cm long by 4.5-14 cm wide. They taper to the tip. There are many flowers together at the tip of the branches or in the axils of leaves. The fruit is a round berry. It is dull yellow and 10-15 mm wide. It is hairy at first. The seeds are 1.5-2 mm long.

Traditional Uses

CAUTION: The fruit are poisonous.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Known Hazards

It is alleged that all parts of the Solanum mauritianum plant are poisonous to humans, especially the unripe berries, and furthermore that human fatalities have resulted from the consumption of the berries, and cases of fatal poisoning in pigs and illness in cattle have been reported in Queensland. However, mountain possums appear to eat it without ill effect, and stripping of bark, leaves, and terminal shoots has destroyed pure stands of S.mauritianum. Watt & Brandwijk state that horses, domestic chickens and all birds eat the fruit with impunity, and further state that no records of poisoning in children exist, casting doubt on contrary published accounts. The main toxic compound is the alkaloid, solasodine, with the highest content in the unripe green berry (2–3.5% dry weight). Solauricine, solauricidine, and solasodamine have also been found in Solanum mauritianum.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It is native to Argentina. It grows on waste ground. In East Africa it grows between 1,500-2,800 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

Where It Grows

Africa, Angola, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Brazil, Cook Islands, East Africa, East Timor, Eswatini, Fiji, Hawaii, India, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Paraguay, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, St Helena, Swaziland, Tasmania, Timor-Leste, Uruguay, Vanuatu, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Notes

There are about 1400 Solanum species.

Synonyms

Solanum auriculatum Aiton

Also Known As

Asian bug tree, Hus, Malulua branca

References (20)

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Cooper, W. and Cooper, W., 2004, Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Nokomis Editions, Victoria, Australia. p 522
Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1347
Dashorst, G.R.M., and Jessop, J.P., 1998, Plants of the Adelaide Plains & Hills. Botanic Gardens of Adelaide and State Herbarium. p 128

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Delic. fl. faun. insubr. 3:16, t. 8. 1788
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http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org