Home | > | List of families | > | Solanaceae | > | Solanum | > | campylacanthum 'panduriforme type' |
Synonyms: |
Solanum bojeri Dunal Solanum delagoense Dunal Solanum incanum sensu auct. pro parte Solanum panduriforme E. Mey. |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | Common |
Status: | Probably native |
Description: |
Perennial herb or herbaceous small shrub, often unarmed but occasionally with a few prickles. Leaves elliptic, entire or slightly wavy on the margins, dark green above, paler and tomentose below. Flowers in clusters along the branches, sometimes axillary or leaf-opposed; corolla pale to deep blue, mauve or purple, occasionally white, 1.5 cm in diameter, fragrant. Fruit spherical, green, often striped or mottled with white, turning yellow to orange-brown when ripe. |
Notes: | According to the latest thinking, the populations in eastern and southern Africa are separated from Solanum incanum which occurs in desert habitats further north and through the Arabic Peninsula as far as Pakistan (Knapp, Vorontsova & Jaime Prohens, 2013). Populations in our region however are still considered very variable. The vast majority of plants encountered are as described above with narrow, unlobed or hardly lobed leaves and very few if any spines. Occasionally though, more robust specimens are found with broader leaves which are distinctly lobed and plants are conspicuously spiny on almost all parts. Although some intermediate forms do exist, the extremes are so distinctly different that it seems hard to believe they are all the same taxon. Examples of this other form, which we have referred to as 'incanum type' can be seen here. |
Derivation of specific name: | |
Habitat: | Along roadsides and in disturbed areas. |
Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 2000 m |
Flowering time: | Nov - Mar |
Worldwide distribution: | Widespread in from Eastern Africa to South Africa. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,C,E,S |
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: | Tuesday 12 September 2006 |
Literature: |
Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 124 - 125. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 272. as Solanum panduriforme Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 867. (Includes a picture). Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 59. (Includes a picture). Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 329. As Solanum delagoense (Includes a picture). Knapp, S., Vorontsova, M. S. & Prohens, J. (2013). Wild Relatives of the Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.: Solanaceae): New Understanding of Species Names in a Complex Group 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. As Solanum delagoense Pickering, H. & Roe, E. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Victoria Falls Area Helen Pickering, London Page 108. (Includes a picture). Plowes, D.C.H. & Drummond, R.B. (1990). Wild Flowers of Zimbabwe. Revised edition. Longman, Zimbabwe. No. 108, plate 146 Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 106. Shone, D.K. & Drummond, R.B. (1965). Poisonous Plants of Rhodesia Ministry of Agriculture, Rhodesia Page 49. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 226. Wild, H. (1955). Common Rhodesian Weeds Government of Rhodesia, Salisbury Page 89. as Solanum incanum (Includes a picture). |
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