Solanum giganteum Jacq.

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Solanum giganteum

Photo: Richard Gill
Kgaswane NR, Magaliesberg

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Richard Gill
Kgaswane NR, Magaliesberg

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Richard Gill
Kgaswane NR, Magaliesberg

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Richard Gill
Kgaswane NR, Magaliesberg

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Richard Gill
Kgaswane NR, Magaliesberg

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Richard Gill
Kgaswane NR, Magaliesberg

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Richard Gill
Kgaswane NR, Magaliesberg

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Richard Gill
Kgaswane NR, Magaliesberg

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Richard Gill
Kgaswane NR, Magaliesberg

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Richard Gill
Kgaswane NR, Magaliesberg

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Richard Gill
Kgaswane NR, Magaliesberg

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Southern margin of Inhamitanga Forest near railway line, Coutada 12, Cheringoma

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Southern margin of Inhamitanga Forest near railway line, Coutada 12, Cheringoma

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Southern margin of Inhamitanga Forest near railway line, Coutada 12, Cheringoma

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Southern margin of Inhamitanga Forest near railway line, Coutada 12, Cheringoma

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Southern margin of Inhamitanga Forest near railway line, Coutada 12, Cheringoma

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Southern margin of Inhamitanga Forest near railway line, Coutada 12, Cheringoma

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Southern margin of Inhamitanga Forest near railway line, Coutada 12, Cheringoma

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Southern margin of Inhamitanga Forest near railway line, Coutada 12, Cheringoma

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Southern margin of Inhamitanga Forest near railway line, Coutada 12, Cheringoma

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Southern margin of Inhamitanga Forest near railway line, Coutada 12, Cheringoma

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Nicholas Wightman
Mafinga Mountains, Mafinga District, Muchinga Province

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Nicholas Wightman
Mafinga Mountains, Mafinga District, Muchinga Province

Solanum giganteum

Photo: Nicholas Wightman
Mafinga Mountains, Mafinga District, Muchinga Province

Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps

Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Solanum niveum Vahl
Common names: Red bitter apple (English) Red bitter berry (English)
Frequency:
Status: Native or possibly introduced
Description:
Shrub or small tree mostly less than 5 m tall, most parts densely covered in fine stellate rays. Stems with numerous laterally flattened prickles, 1-5 mm long. Branches white-tomentose, with scattered prickles. Leaves elliptic to ovate, lanceolate or obovate, 5-30 cm long, becoming shiny and dark green above when mature while remaining white-stellate-tomentose beneath; petiole 1-8 cm long; 1-2 leaf-like pseudostipules 1-3.5 cm long sometimes present. Inflorescences in branched corymbose heads, dense, many-flowered. Flowers nodding. Corolla pale blue to lilac or violet-purple, rarely white, each lobe with a greenish midvein. Fruit numerous, shiny red when ripe.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: giganteum: huge, gigantic
Habitat: In forest edges, riverine forest, woodland and in rocky places.
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution: Origin uncertain, but believed to be native to the Cape; widespread in tropical and southern Africa, also the Canary Isles, tropical Asia, Australia and South America.
Zimbabwe distribution: C,E
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated: Monday 2 November 2015
Literature:

Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 869. (Includes a picture).

Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 52.

Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 272.

Gonçalves, A.E. (2005). Solanaceae Flora Zambesiaca 8(4) Pages 88 - 90.

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 80.

Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 178.

Welman, W.G. (2008). The genus Solanum (Solanaceae) in southern Africa: subgenus Leptostemonum, section Giganteiformia Bothalia 38(1) Pages 40 - 42.


Other sources of information about Solanum giganteum:

Our websites:

Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Solanum giganteum
Flora of Malawi: Solanum giganteum
Flora of Mozambique: Solanum giganteum
Flora of Zambia: Solanum giganteum

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Solanum giganteum
African Plant Database: Solanum giganteum
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Solanum giganteum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Solanum giganteum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Solanum giganteum
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Solanum giganteum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Solanum giganteum
JSTOR Plant Science: Solanum giganteum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Solanum giganteum
Plants of the World Online: Solanum giganteum
Tropicos: Solanum giganteum
Wikipedia: Solanum giganteum


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: Solanum giganteum.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=150650, retrieved 29 March 2024

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