thumb|Unripe fruit of Solanum lycopersicum ([[tomato)]]

Solanum is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants, which include three food crops of high economic importance: the potato, the tomato and the eggplant (aubergine, brinjal). It is the largest genus in the nightshade family Solanaceae, comprising around 1,500 species. It also contains the so-called horse nettles (unrelated to the genus of true nettles, Urtica), as well as numerous plants cultivated for their ornamental flowers and fruit.

Solanum species show a wide range of growth habits, such as annuals and perennials, vines, subshrubs, shrubs, and small trees. Many formerly independent genera like Lycopersicon (the tomatoes) and Cyphomandra are now included in Solanum as subgenera or sections. Thus, the genus today contains roughly 1,500–2,000 species.

Name

The generic name was first used by Pliny the Elder (AD 23–79) for a plant also known as , most likely S. nigrum. Its derivation is uncertain, possibly stemming from the Latin word , meaning "sun", referring to its status as a plant of the sun.

Species having the common name "nightshade"

The species most commonly called nightshade in North America and Britain is Solanum dulcamara, also called bittersweet or woody nightshade (so-called because it is a scandent shrub). Its foliage and egg-shaped red berries are poisonous, the active principle being solanine, which can cause convulsions and death if taken in large doses. Black nightshades (many species in the Solanum nigrum complex, Solanum sect. Solanum) have varying levels of toxins and are considered too toxic to eat by many people in North America and Europe, but young stems and leaves or fully ripened fruit of various species are cooked and eaten by native people in North America, Africa, and Asia. Deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) belongs, like Solanum, to subfamily Solanoideae of the nightshade family, but, unlike that genus, is a member of tribe Hyoscyameae (Solanum belongs to tribe Solaneae). The chemistry of Atropa species is very different from that of Solanum species and features the very toxic tropane alkaloids, the best-known of which is atropine.

Taxonomy

The genus was established by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. Its subdivision has always been problematic, but slowly some sort of consensus is being achieved.

The following list is a provisional lineup of the genus' traditional subdivisions, together with some notable species.

  • Series Androceras
  • Series Violaceiflorum
  • Series Pacificum

Section Anisantherum

Section Campanulata

Section Crinitum

Section Croatianum

Section Erythrotrichum

  • Solanum robustum <small>H.L.Wendl.</small> – Shrubby nightshade

Section Graciliflorum

Section Herposolanum

  • Solanum wendlandii <small>Hook.f.</small> – Giant potatocreeper

Section Irenosolanum

  • Solanum incompletum <small>Dunal</small> – Pōpolo kū mai<!-- "imcompletum" is lapsus --> (Hawaii)
  • Solanum nelsonii <small>Dunal</small> – Nelson's horsenettle, Ākia (Hawaii)
  • Solanum sandwicense <small>Hook. & Arn.</small> – Hawaiian horsenettle, Pōpoloaiakeakua (Oahu, Kauai)

Section Ischyracanthum

Section Lasiocarpa

  • Solanum lasiocarpum <small>Dunal</small>
  • Solanum pseudolulo – lulo de perro (Colombia)
  • Solanum quitoense – lulo (Colombia), naranjilla (Ecuador)
  • Solanum sessiliflorum – Cocona

Section Melongena

  • Solanum aculeastrum – Soda apple, sodaapple nightshade, goat apple, poison apple, "bitter-apple"
  • Solanum campechiense – Redberry nightshade
  • Solanum carolinense – Carolina horsenettle, radical weed, sand brier, devil's tomato, "bull nettle", "tread-softly", "apple of Sodom", "wild tomato" (southeastern United States)
  • Solanum cataphractum (northern Western Australia, including Coronation Island)
  • Solanum citrullifolium <small>A.Braun</small> – Watermelon nightshade (southern United States)
  • Solanum dimidiatum <small>Raf.</small> – Torrey's nightshade
  • Solanum elaeagnifolium – Silver-leaved nightshade, prairie berry, silverleaf nettle, white horsenettle, silver nightshade, "bull-nettle", "trompillo" (Spanish); Silver-leaf bitter-apple, satansbos (South Africa)
  • Solanum heterodoxum <small>Dunal</small> – Melon-leaved nightshade
  • Solanum incanum <small>L.</small>
  • Solanum linnaeanum – Devil's apple, apple of Sodom
  • Solanum macrocarpon <small>L.</small>
  • Solanum marginatum <small>L.f.</small> – White-margined nightshade
  • Solanum melongena – Eggplant, aubergine (including S.&nbsp;ovigerum)
  • Solanum rostratum <small>Dunal</small> – Buffalo bur, Texas thistle
  • Solanum sisymbriifolium <small>Lam.</small> – Sticky nightshade, fire-and-ice
  • Solanum virginianum <small>L.</small><!-- = S. surattense -->

Section Micracantha

  • Solanum jamaicense <small>Mill.</small> – Jamaican nightshade
  • Solanum lanceifolium <small>Jacq.</small> – Lance-leaved nightshade
  • Solanum tampicense <small>Dunal</small> – Wetland nightshade

Section Monodolichopus

Section Nycterium

Section Oliganthes

  • Solanum aethiopicum – Ethiopian eggplant, nakati, mock tomato, Ethiopian nightshade; including S.&nbsp;gilo (scarlet eggplant, Gilo or jiló)
  • Solanum centrale – Australian desert raisin, bush raisin, bush sultana, "bush tomato", akatjurra (Alyawarre), kampurarpa (Pitjantjatjara), merne akatyerre (Arrernte), kutjera
  • Solanum ellipticum – Potato bush, "bush tomato"
  • Solanum pyracanthos <small>Lam.</small> – Porcupine tomato, Devil's Thorn<!-- = S. pyracanthos, = S. pyracanthum -->
  • Solanum quadriloculatum <small>F.Muell.</small> – "bush tomato", "wild tomato" (Australia)

Section Persicariae

  • Solanum bahamense <small>L.</small> – Bahama nightshade, canker berry, berengena de playa
  • Solanum ensifolium <small>Dunal</small> – Erubia

Section Polytrichum

Section Pugiunculifera

Section Somalanum

Section Torva

  • Solanum asteropilodes
  • Solanum chrysotrichum <small>Schltdl.</small> – Giant devil's-fig
  • Solanum lanceolatum – Orangeberry nightshade
  • Solanum paniculatum – Jurubeba
  • Solanum torvum – Turkey berry, devil's fig, prickly nightshade, shoo-shoo bush, wild eggplant, pea eggplant

Subgenus Lyciosolanum

  • Solanum guineense <small>L.</small>

Subgenus Solanum

thumb|right|[[Solanum erianthum]]

thumb|right|[[Jasmine nightshade (S. laxum) flowers]]

thumb|right|[[Currant tomato (S. pimpinellifolium) fruit]]

thumb|right|[[Andes|Andean black potatoes (S. tuberosum)]]

thumb|right|[[Turkey berry (S. torvum) flowers]]

thumb|right|[[Yellow nightshade (S. villosum) fruit]]

Also known as: Solanum sensu stricto.

Section Afrosolanum

Section Anarrhichomenum

  • Solanum baretiae

Section Archaesolanum

  • Solanum aviculare – Poroporo (New Zealand), kangaroo apple (Australia)

Section Basarthrum

  • Solanum catilliflorum
  • Solanum muricatum – Pepino dulce, pepino melon, melon pear, "pepino", "tree melon"
  • Solanum perlongistylum

Section Benderianum

Section Brevantherum

  • Solanum bullatum
  • Solanum erianthum <small>D.Don</small> – Potato tree, "mullein nightshade"
  • Solanum mauritianum – Woolly nightshade, ear-leaved nightshade, flannel weed, bugweed, tobacco weed, kerosene plant, "wild tobacco" (Australia)
  • Solanum evolvuloides

Section Dulcamara

  • Solanum crispum – Chilean potato vine, Chilean nightshade, Chilean potato tree
  • Solanum dulcamara – Bittersweet
  • Solanum imbaburense
  • Solanum laxum <small>Spreng.</small> – Jasmine nightshade<!-- = S. jasminoides -->
  • Solanum leiophyllum
  • Solanum seaforthianum <small>Andrews</small> – Brazilian nightshade
  • Solanum triquetrum <small>Cav.</small> – Texas nightshade
  • Solanum wallacei – Wallace's nightshade, Catalina nightshade, Clokey's nightshade, "wild tomato" (including S. clokeyi)
  • Solanum xanti – Purple nightshade, San Diego nightshade

Section Herpystichum

Section Holophylla

  • Solanum diphyllum <small>L.</small> – Twin-leaved nightshade
  • Solanum pseudocapsicum – Jerusalem cherry, Madeira winter cherry, "winter cherry" (including S.&nbsp;capsicastrum)
  • Solanum pseudoquina (including S.&nbsp;inaequale <small>Vell.</small>)

Section Juglandifolia

  • Solanum juglandifolium
  • Solanum ochranthum

Section Lemurisolanum

Section Lycopersicoides

  • Solanum lycopersicoides <small>Dunal</small> – Peruvian wolfpeach
  • Solanum sitiens

Section Lycopersicon

Also known as: tomato lineage.

  • Solanum arcanum <small>Peralta</small> – "wild tomato"
  • Solanum chilense
  • Solanum corneliomulleri
  • Solanum huaylasense <small>Peralta</small>
  • Solanum peruvianum <small>L.</small> – Peruvian nightshade, "wild tomato"
  • Solanum cheesmaniae <small>(L.Riley) Fosberg</small><!-- Systemat.Biodivers.1:29 -->
  • Solanum chmielewskii
  • Solanum galapagense <small>S.C.Darwin & Peralta</small><!-- Systemat.Biodivers.1:29 -->
  • Solanum habrochaites
  • Solanum lycopersicum – Tomato
  • Solanum neorickii
  • Solanum pennellii
  • Solanum pimpinellifolium – Currant tomato

Section Macronesiotes

Section Normania

  • †Solanum nava (?)

Section Petota

Also known as the "potato lineage". Including: subsections Estolonifera and Potatoe.

  • Solanum albornozii
  • Solanum bulbocastanum – Ornamental nightshade
  • Solanum bukasovii <small>Juz. ex Rybin</small><!-- =? S. canasense -->
  • Solanum burtonii
  • Solanum cardiophyllum – Heart-leaved nightshade
  • Solanum chilliasense
  • Solanum commersonii <small>Dunal</small> – Commerson's nightshade
  • Solanum demissum <small>Lindl.</small> – Dwarf wild potato
  • Solanum jamesii – Wild potato
  • Solanum minutifoliolum
  • Solanum paucijugum
  • Solanum phureja <small>Juz. & Bukasov</small>
  • Solanum pinnatisectum <small>Dunal</small> – Tansy-leaved nightshade
  • Solanum regularifolium
  • Solanum stoloniferum <small>Schltdl.</small> – Tigna potato, Fendler's horsenettle
  • Solanum stenotomum (including S. goniocalyx)
  • Solanum ternatum (including S. ternifolium)
  • Solanum tuberosum – Potato

Section Pteroidea

Section Quadrangulare

Section Regmandra

Section Solanum

  • Solanum adscendens <small>Sendtner</small> – Sonoita nightshade (Americas)
  • Solanum americanum <small>Mill.</small> – American nightshade, American black nightshade, West Indian nightshade, glossy nightshade (Americas, Hawaii)
  • Solanum chenopodioides <small>Lam.</small> – Goosefoot nightshade, slender nightshade (including S.&nbsp;gracilius)
  • Solanum douglasii <small>Dunal</small> – Green-spotted nightshade
  • Solanum alatum – Eastern black nightshade
  • Solanum interius <small>Rydb.</small>
  • Solanum melongena L.
  • Solanum nigrescens <small>M.Martens & Galeotti</small> – Divine nightshade
  • Solanum nigrum <small>L.</small> – European black nightshade, "black nightshade"
  • S. nigrum guineense – "Garden Huckleberry"
  • Solanum pseudogracile <small>Heiser</small> – Glowing nightshade
  • Solanum retroflexum – Wonderberry, sunberry
  • Solanum sarrachoides – Hairy nightshade
  • Solanum scabrum <small>Mill.</small> – Garden huckleberry
  • Solanum triflorum <small>Nutt.</small> – Cut-leaved nightshade
  • Solanum villosum <small>Mill.</small> – Yellow nightshade

Notable species not otherwise placed

thumb|right|[[Forked nightshade (S. furcatum)]]

thumb|right|[[Bluewitch nightshade (S. umbelliferum) flowers]]

  • Solanum abutiloides – Dwarf tamarillo
  • Solanum amygdalifolium <small>Steud.</small>
  • Solanum bellum
  • Solanum cajanumense
  • Solanum chimborazense
  • Solanum chrysasteroides
  • Solanum cinnamomeum
  • Solanum conocarpum <small>Rich. ex Dunal</small> – Marron bacoba
  • Solanum cowiei <small>Martine</small>
  • Solanum cremastanthemum
  • Solanum crinitum
  • Solanum davisense <small>Whalen</small> – Davis' horsenettle<!-- "davisensen" is lapsus -->
  • Solanum densepilosulum
  • Solanum donianum <small>Walp.</small> – Mullein nightshade
  • Solanum dolichorhachis
  • Solanum etuberosum &ndash; representative member of a clade that gave rise to the potatoes (petota clade) by hybridization with a member of the tomato clade

The non-italicized names inside of Solanum refer to the major clade names within Solanum. These names usually include the similarly-named section but do not have taxonomic standing.

Toxicity

Most parts of the plants, especially the green parts and unripe fruit, are poisonous to humans (although not necessarily to other animals), with some species even being deadly.

Uses

Many species in the genus bear some edible parts, such as fruits, leaves, or tubers. Three crops in particular have been bred and harvested for consumption by humans for centuries, and are now cultivated on a global scale:

  • Tomato, S. lycopersicum
  • Tomato varieties are sometimes bred from both S.&nbsp;lycopersicum and wild tomato species such as S.&nbsp;pimpinellifolium, S.&nbsp;peruvianum, S.&nbsp;cheesmanii, S.&nbsp;galapagense, S.&nbsp;chilense, etc. (such varieties include—among others—Bicentennial, Dwarf Italian, Epoch, Golden Sphere, Hawaii, Ida Red, Indigo Rose, Kauai, Lanai, Marion, Maui, Molokai, Niihau, Oahu, Owyhee, Parma, Payette, Red Lode, Super Star, Surecrop, Tuckers Forcing, V 121, Vantage, Vetomold, and Waltham.)
  • Potato, S. tuberosum, fourth largest food crop.
  • Less important but cultured relatives used in small amounts include S.&nbsp;stenotomum, S.&nbsp;phureja, S.&nbsp;goniocalyx, S.&nbsp;ajanhuiri, S.&nbsp;chaucha, S.&nbsp;juzepczukii, S.&nbsp;curtilobum.
  • Eggplant (also known as brinjal or aubergine), S.&nbsp;melongena

Other species are significant food crops regionally, such as Ethiopian eggplant or scarlet eggplant (S. aethiopicum), naranjilla or lulo (S. quitoense), cocona (S. sessiliflorum), turkey berry (S. torvum), pepino or pepino melon (S. muricatum), tamarillo (S. betaceum), wolf apple (S. lycocarpum), garden huckleberry (S. scabrum) and "bush tomatoes" (several Australian species).

Ornamentals

The species most widely seen in cultivation as ornamental plants are:

  • Solanum aviculare - (kangaroo apple)
  • Solanum crispum - (Chilean potato tree)
  • Solanum laciniatum - (kangaroo apple)
  • Solanum laxum - (potato vine)
  • Solanum mammosum - (Nipplefruit, titty fruit, cow's udder, apple of Sodom)
  • Solanum pseudocapsicum - (Christmas cherry, winter cherry)
  • Solanum seaforthianum - (Italian jasmine, St. Vincent lilac)
  • Solanum mauritianum - (woolly nightshade, earleaf nightshade)
  • Solanum wendlandii - (paradise flower, potato vine)

Medicine

Several species are locally used in folk medicine, particularly by native people who have long employed them.

References

Further reading

Updated taxonomic treatments not yet integrated:

  • &ndash; subgen. Leptostemonum
  • &ndash; last article in a three-part series of monographic treatments of the morelloid clade

General references:

  • Meet the TomTato: Tomatoes and potatoes grown as one – CBS News (September 26, 2013)