Solanum giganteum Jacq.

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (24)

Photo: Richard Gill
Kgaswane NR, Magaliesberg

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

Habit
Riverine montane forest
Mafinga Mountains, Mafinga District
Jan 2022
Photo: Nick Wightman

Fruits and flower
Riverine montane forest
Mafinga Mountains, Mafinga District
Jan 2022
Photo: Nick Wightman

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.
Type location:	cultivation in Vienna, originally from South Africa
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.
FZ divisions:	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:	Bikandu, B., Lukoki, F., Habari, J.P., Ntore, S. & Sosef, M.S.M. (2020). Solanaceae Flore d'Afrique Centrale Nouvelle Serie Jardin Botanique Meise, Belgique Pages 107 - 109. (Includes a picture). 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. Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 235. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 178. Troupin, G. (1985). Solanaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume III Page 378. 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 Burundi: Solanum giganteum
Flora of the DRC: Solanum giganteum
Flora of Malawi: Solanum giganteum
Flora of Mozambique: Solanum giganteum
Flora of Rwanda: 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