Solanum mammosum L., Sp. Pl. 1: 187. 1753.

Aubriot, Xavier & Knapp, Sandra, 2022, A revision of the " spiny solanums " of Tropical Asia (Solanum, the Leptostemonum Clade, Solanaceae), PhytoKeys 198, pp. 1-270 : 1

25. Solanum mammosum L., Sp. Pl. 1: 187. 1753.

Fig. 41A, B

Type.

Barbados. " Solanum barbadense spinosum, foliis villosis, fructu aureo rotundiore, Pyri parvi inversiforma et magnitude" (lectotype, designated by Knapp and Jarvis 1990, pg. 343: [Illustration] Plukenet, Phytographia, pars tertia, tab. 226, fig. 1. 1692). Typotype material: Sloane vol. 98: 59 (BM-SL).

Distribution.

Solanum mammosum has been recorded from China, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, but is almost certainly more widespread in the region; it is native to southern South America and is widely cultivated for ornament.

Common names.

China. ru qie ( Zhang et al. 1994). Malaysia/Singapore. tĕrong bĕlanda, tĕrong asam ( Burkill 1935). Vietnam. cà du, blanh ( Hul and Dy Phon 2014)

Description.

Vorontsova and Knapp (2016: 235-239); http://www.solanaceaesource.org/solanaceae/solanum-mammosum-1.

Discussion.

Solanum mammosum is widely cultivated for its unusual teat-shaped fruit that is often used in flower arrangements. It is a member of the Acanthophora clade along with S. aculeatissimum , S. capsicoides , and S. viarum . Solanum mammosum differs from those species in its larger, purple flowers, densely pilose leaves and stems, and large fruits. Solanum capsicoides has similarly large berries, but these are darker orange and the seeds are strongly winged; seeds of S. mammosum lack wings. Hul and Dy Phon (2014) record it as naturalised in Vietnam, where the fruits are apparently eaten by villagers once cooked, which is a bit surprising, given that they are used as insecticides in other parts of the world ( Nee 1979).

Specimens examined.

See Suppl. materials 1-3.

Figures

Figure 41. Introduced species of Solanum. Solanum mammosum L. A detail view of a flower (Stevens 35067, Nicaragua) B detail view of a fruit (Stevens 35067, Nicaragua). Solanum robustum H. L. Wendl. C habit (Sampath Kumar et al. 126920, India) D detail view of a short-styled flower (Sampath Kumar et al. 126920, India) E detail view of a fruit (Sampath Kumar et al. 126920, India). Solanum sisymbriifolium Lam. F habit (Sampath Kumar et al. 126922, India) G detail view of a flower (Sampath Kumar et al. 126922, India) H detail view of a fruit (Sampath Kumar et al. 126922, India). Photograph credits: A, B O. M. Montiel C-H X. Aubriot.