Solanum torvum

Solanum torvum, also known as pendejera, turkey berry, devil's fig, pea eggplant, platebrush or susumber, is a bushy, erect and spiny perennial plant used horticulturally as a rootstock for eggplant. Grafted plants are very vigorous and tolerate diseases affecting the root system, thus allowing the crop to continue for a second year.

Description

A shrub 1.5-3 m high. The leaves are oblong and 10-25 cm long. They can be entire or lobed. They often have prickles beneath the midrib. The young stem and underside of leaves are hairy. The flower is white and 2 cm across. The fruit are round berries, yellow when ripe. They are about 1 cm across. They grow in clusters. The seed are roughly circular and 2-3 mm across.

Edible Uses

Young shoots can be eaten raw or cooked. The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked — it has a juicy pulp containing many small seeds and a distinctive bitter flavour that tends to be more appreciated by older people. In Asia the fruit is eaten raw or cooked as a side dish with rice, or added to stews, soups, and curries. In the West Indies, half-grown firm berries are boiled and served with foods such as yams or akees, or added to soups and stews. The yellowish, globose berry is 10–15mm in diameter; the immature fruit is green, turning yellow then orange as it ripens. An extract of the plant is sometimes used as a curdling agent.

Traditional Uses

CAUTION: This plant has been shown to contain poisonous compounds. The green unripe fruit are added to curries in Malaysia. They are eaten in soup in Cambodia. They are also used for chutney. They are eaten as a vegetable. They are bitter. They are mixed with other vegetables. They are pickled in Nepal. They are used in soup in China. They are also dried and preserved. The young shoots are eaten raw or cooked. The fruit and flowers are used as a vegetable. The roots are stewed.

Medicinal Uses

Solanum torvum is widely used in traditional medicine. The glycoalkaloid solasodine, found in the leaves and fruits, is used in India in the manufacture of steroidal sex hormones for oral contraceptives. The plant juice is used to treat fevers, coughs, asthma, chest ailments, sore throats, rheumatism, dropsy, stomach aches, and gonorrhoea. Flower juice with added salt is used as eye drops. The leaves are an effective antimicrobial and diuretic; an infusion treats thrush, and a syrup of leaves and flowers is used for colds. Dried, powdered leaves are used medicinally for diabetic patients. Leaves are applied topically to cuts, wounds, and skin diseases. An infusion of leaves and fruits treats bush yaws and sores. The fruit is diuretic and is used for malaria, stomach aches, and spleen problems. A decoction of the fruit is given to children for coughs. Young fruits are used to improve eyesight. A paste of mature fruit is applied as a poultice to the forehead for headaches, and fruit juice is applied locally to ease ant bite irritation. A decoction of the root treats venereal disease; roots are boiled with lime juice added and drunk for malaria. Root juice treats vomiting caused by weakness, and pounded root is inserted into a decayed tooth cavity to relieve toothache.

Known Hazards

Although providing many well-known foods for people, including the potato, tomato, pepper and aubergine, most plants in the family Solanaceae also contain poisonous alkaloids. Unless there are specific entries with information on edible uses, it would be unwise to ingest any part of this plant.

Distribution

A tropical plant. In Papua New Guinea it grows from sea level to 2000 m altitude. In Cambodia it grows between 0 and 1200 m. In Nepal it grows to 1000 m altitude. It grows in open, moist places. It grows in wetlands. In Yunnan in China it grows between 200-1650 m altitude. Photo Brisbane shop. In Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Africa, Andamans, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda - Antigua, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bougainville, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central America*, China, Colombia, Congo DR, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba*, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinée, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kiribati, Laos, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Martinique, Mexico*, Micronesia, Montserrat, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Peru, Puerto Rico*, Rotuma, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sikkim, Singapore, South America, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, USA, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wallis & Futuna, West Africa, West Indies*,

Cultivation

S. torvum is an erect or spreading prickly shrub, 1 to 3 m tall. A plant of the moist tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,600 metres. Succeeds in full sun and in light shade. Grows well in a range of fertile, moist but well-drained soils. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6 (acidic), tolerating 4.3 - 6.8. Plants can tolerate some drought. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 17 - 29°c, but can tolerate 12 - 35°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 2,000mm, but tolerates 700 - 4,200mm. Heavy rainfall discourages fruit set. The plant is spread by birds that eat the fruits and spread the seeds. It is considered to be a major weed in pastures, along roadsides and in wasteland in the tropics. It also occurs in plantations, but is not found in significant quantities in cultivated land. Often found in disturbed areas, it can form dense impenetrable stands. Solanum torvum is considered to be a serious threat to the productivity and sustainability of pasture. Besides its economic impacts, it competes with native species. The plant commences flowering when 3 - 4 months old and is said to have an economic life of 3 - 5 years. The plant can flower and produce fruit all year round. It can regrow after a fire. There are named forms in Africa and in Thailand. At least one form is free of prickles.

Propagation

Sow seed in a sunny position — fresh seed shows strong dormancy. Sow in a nursery and transplant seedlings after 5–6 weeks at a spacing of 1 metre. Branch cuttings from high-yielding shrubs are also used. Semi-hardwood cuttings 12–15cm long, taken from fresh shoots with leaves removed, will produce roots and new shoots within 3–4 weeks.

Other Uses

The plant is sometimes used as a rootstock for tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and aubergines (Solanum melongena), conferring resistance to bacterial wilt and nematodes. Solanum aethiopicum cv. 'Iizuka' gives better results with tomatoes. Its resistance to a number of pests also makes it useful as a source of resistant gene transfer into useful Solanaceous crops.

Production

Plants start flowering 3-4 months after planting. Fruit are picked regularly staring 2 weeks after flowering.

Other Information

It is a locally popular vegetable. Leaves are sold in local markets.

Notes

There are about 1400 Solanum species.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Able-he, Akapu, Akrim, Anjang kha, Anzangkha, Bak-kheng, Ban bihi, Ba'o, Bengar betahet, Bhit-tita, Bhurat, Bihi, Bin, Bintorung, Buah ulam, Byako, Ca nhuong, Ca nong, Chepoka, Choondai kai, Chuko wana, Chundaikai, Devil's-fig, Devil’s Figs, Dieng-soh nonag, Ehiishikhokha, Ge lan biu, Gota begun, Hathubhekuri, Hati bhekuri, Hati-khunthai goukha, Hkawhkam-kaju, Jabadane, Jangali behi, Jungli biya, Kaatuchunta, Kadusunde, Kao, Karinchi, Kashongo, Kattusundai, Kazaw-kha, Kekeisse, Kekeyafe, Kemko, Kha-lang-gyi, Khamchokraling, Khamkha sikam, Khamka sikum, Kharangjeh, Kha-yan-ka-zot, Kheang khah, Khem-khatai-baphangl, Khoith ha, Kodu, Kutumba, Kutunbi, Kwahu nsusuam Lam khamen, Leenguipi, Liang lao, Magwikaju, Mah-kua-puang, Makueyphuong, Mai-mak-hku-sum, Marang, Mequasa, Mo si kuo, Moxiha, Muhahao, Myobyet-khayan, Ngbaku, Okouhe, Pako bhijri, Pako saag, Panthao khimkhatai gidiba, Pea eggplant, Plate-bush, Platebrush, Poka, Pokak, Rakhokha, Ranbaingan, Ranbhatai, Rangaini, Sahor pot, Sam tok, Segau, Shui gie, Si ma ma ha, Sitabangko, Sondaegida, Soonday kai, Sundai, Sundaikai, Sundakkayi, Susumber, Takokak, Tangaiji, Tawkpui, Terong limbang, Terong pasay, Terong pipit puteh, Terong pipit, Terong rembang, Terongan, Terong setan, Teruk rimbong, Theso bongnai, Thesokumbong, Theso-rongman, Thulo bihi, Tit-began, Tiyung satik, Trab put lumnhong, Turkeyberry, Wild brinjal, Yamax-iha

References (129)

• Ambasta, S. P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 582
• Anderson, E. F., 1993, Plants and people of the Golden Triangle. Dioscorides Press. p 221
• Arinathan, V., et al, 2007, Wild edibles used by Palliyars of the western Ghats, Tamil Nadu. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. 6(1) pp 163-168
• Arora, R. K., 2014, Diversity in Underutilized Plant Species - An Asia-Pacific Perspective. Bioversity International. p 51
• Baa-Poku, F. & Asante, I. K., 2020, Use of Neglected and Underutilized Crop Species (NUCS) in some farming communities in the Upper Afram and Upper Dayi River Basins in Ghana. International Journal of Technology and Management Research 5 (2): 48-63

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