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Solanaceae FAMILY

Solanum torvum

Solanum torvum

Edibility
3/5
Medicinal
3/5

Safety & Hazards

Although providing many well-known foods for people, including the potato, tomato, pepper and aubergine, most species in this genus also contain toxic alkaloids. Whilst these alkaloids can make the plant useful in treaing a range of medical conditions, they can also cause problems such as nausea, vomiting, salivation, drowsiness, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, weakness and respiratory depression[ 293 Title Poisonous Plants of North Carolina Publication Author Website http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent concise but comprehensive guide to toxic plants that grow in N. Carolina. It lists even those plants that are of very low toxicity, including several well-known food plants such as carrots and potatoes. ]. Unless there are specific entries with information on edible uses, it would be unwise to ingest any part of this plant[ K Title Plants for a Future Author Ken Fern Description Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips. ].

Botanical Description

Solanum torvum is an evergreen, sparingly-armed, spreading or scrambling, slender shrub growing from 1 - 4 metres tall[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. , 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. , 426 Title Flowering Plants of Jamaica Publication Author Adams. C.D. Publisher University of the West Indies; Jamaica. Year 1972 ISBN Description A terse treatment of the flowering plants of Jamaica, with a botanical description of each plant, notes on habitat etc. , 481 Title Medicinal Plants in Papua New Guinea Publication Author Publisher World Health Organisation Year 2009 ISBN 978-92-9061-249-0 Description Traditional medicinal uses of 126 species from Papua New Guinea, including information on modern research into the plants. ]. The stems have stout, recurved, reddish or paleyellow prickles 2.5 - 10mm long and 2 - 10mm wide[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ]. A common weed in the tropics, the plant is often gathered from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is increasing in popularlity as a food and is occasionally cultivated as a home garden crop, being said to be especially popular in Thailand[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical
Native RangeSouth America - Brazil, Colombia, north to the Caribbean and through Central America to Mexico.
HabitatWoodland clearings, thickets and waste places at elevations from 15 - 1,260 metres in Jamaica[ 326 Title Flora of Zimbabwe Publication Author Website http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Over 2,000 species as of 2009 (and growing). Each record usually has at least one photo with a botanical description of the plant, range, habitat etc. A very useful site. ]. Naturalised on open, moist ground at elevations up to 1,000 metres in Nepal[ 272 Title Plants and People of Nepal Publication Author Manandhar. N. P. Publisher Timber Press. Oregon. Year 2002 ISBN 0-88192-527-6 Description Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses. ].