Solanum torvum Sw.

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Andean, Caribbean, Pacific. Elevation range: 20–1700 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Caldas, Chocó, Magdalena, Norte de Santander, Quindío, Risaralda, San Andrés y Providencia, Vaupés.

Habit

Herb, Shrub, Small tree.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: wetlands (inland).

Vernacular

Chucho hediondo, Friegaplatos

Seed Collecting Guide. RBG Kew (2013-2016)

Morphology General Habit

shrubs to 3 m, many-branched from the base, armed or unarmed young stems terete, pubescent with a mixture of short and long stalked porrect trichomes to 0.5 mm.

Morphology Leaves

simple, (5.5-) 9-17 cm long, (4-)5-12 cm wide, ca 1.5 times as long as wide, elliptic to ovate; adaxial surfaces evenly and sparsely to densely pubescent with sessile porrect stellate trichomes, abaxial surfaces densely pubescent with short to long-stalked stellate trichomes to 0.5 mm long, the stalks multiseriate; apex acute to acuminate; petioles 1.5-4 cm long, densely stellate-pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

inflorescences 2-6 cm long, 15-20 mm diam., 1-4 times branched, with more than 50 flowers, peduncle 0.5-2 cm long; pedicels 1-1.2 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

white, 5-numerous, all perfect

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

calyx 4-6 mm long, sparsely to densely stellate-pubescent and glandular, the lobes 3-4 mm long, the caudate tip ca 1 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

corolla 1.5-2 cm in diameter, stellate, lobed 1/2 to 2/3 of the way to the base, the lobes 7-9 mm long, 4-5 mm wide

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

fruit a globose berry, 5-40+ per infructescence, 1-1.3 cm in diameter, pale grayish green

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

seeds up to 100 per berry, 2.5-3 mm long, 2-2.5 mm wide, flattened reniform, pale yellowish tan, the surfaces minutely pitted to smooth.

Ecology

among grasses, cacti, Tropical deciduous forests, scrub and oak forests, pine forests, often in shallow or dry rocky soil, steep rocky slopes, among piles of stones or along fencerows, railroad tracks, sometimes in cultivated fields. altitude1870 - 3050 m

Distribution

Widespread throughout central Mexico (Southern jalisco to queretato and veracruz), South to Southeastern and South-central Guatemala, to Southern honduras.

Conservation

least concerned

Phenology

Flower (january - december), fruit (january - december)

Solanaceae, H. heine. Flora of West Tropical Africa 2. 1963

Morphology General Habit

A shrubby weed attaining 10 ft. or more in height

Morphology General Indumentum

Pale stellate-tomentose

Morphology General Spines

Flattened spines

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

White or lilac flowers

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits 1/3 in. diam.

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 8, Part 4. Solanaceae. Gonçalves AE. 2005

Morphology General

Spreading or scrambling shrub or small tree up to 3(6) m, armed; hairs stellate, sessile to long stalked, regular or irregular, with numerous thin rays, or simple apically glandular, spreading hairs interspersed; prickles sub-fuscous, 3–7 mm long and 1–7 mm wide at the base, laterally compressed, broad based, straight or slightly recurved, apically subulate, basally hairy to glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicels (4)5–8(10) mm long, slender, glandular-pubescent or hispid-viscid, in fruit elongated to 20 mm, becoming stout and somewhat thickened distally

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx green or purplish, 3–4 mm long, 5–6 mm across, cupular, often deeply lobed, not very accrescent, glandular-pubescent or hispid-viscid; lobes unequal, 1. 5–2.5 × 1–1. 5 mm, ovate or triangular to lanceolate, acute or apiculate to long-acuminate, in fruit enlarged to 4 × 2.5 mm, curved out at the apex, the sinuses glabrous and splitting as the corolla expands Calyx green or purplish, 3–4 mm long, 5–6 mm across, cupular, often deeply lobed, not very accrescent, glandular-pubescent or hispid-viscid; lobes unequal, 1.5–2.5 × 1–1.5 mm, ovate or triangular to lanceolate, acute or apiculate to long-acuminate, in fruit enlarged to 4 × 2.5 mm, curved out at the apex, the sinuses glabrous and splitting as the corolla expands.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 0.7–1 mm long, globose or ± conical (or sometimes oblong in outline), sub-sulcate at the middle, reduced in male flowers, glabrous to finely covered with short, simple, glandular hairs denser near the top.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style 8–10 mm long, exceeding the stamens, curved, finely glandular-pubescent near the base, exserted, greatly reduced in male flowers and included within the connivent anthers

Note

Chromosome number: 2n=24, 48 The numerous fruits, the relatively large stellate hairs with a short central ray, and the fairly numerous straight or slightly curved prickles, provide distinctive features for this species. Common name: “Devil's Fig”.

Ecology

Naturalized at forest edges; 800–1100 m.

Distribution

A very common weed, originally native to the Antilles, nowadays pantropical, widespread throughout many tropical and subtropical regions of the New and Old Worlds, extending to Australia. Recorded in Africa as introduced from Senegal to Nigeria, Cape Verd MAL S Malawi

Morphology General Habit

Spreading or scrambling shrub or small tree up to 3(6) m, armed; hairs stellate, sessile to long stalked, regular or irregular, with numerous thin rays, or simple apically glandular, spreading hairs interspersed; prickles sub-fuscous, 3–7 mm long and 1–7 mm wide at the base, laterally compressed, broad based, straight or slightly recurved, apically subulate, basally hairy to glabrous.

Morphology Branches

Branches whitish to ochraceous-rusty tomentose, ultimately glabrescent, with scattered prickles. Branches whitish to ochraceous-rusty tomentose, ultimately glabrescent, with scattered prickles

Morphology Leaves

Leaves often geminate at least upwards; petiole 0.8–3.8 cm long; lamina somewhat felty, 4.5–15 × 2.5–11 cm, broadly ovate, ovate-rhombic or ± elliptic, base usually ± cordate or truncate, often dimidiate, apex obtuse to acute, occasionally somewhat acuminate, usually sinuate to lobed, the lobes up to 7, broadly angular or somewhat triangular to rounded, acute to rounded, the sinuses rounded between the lobes, pubescent to scabrous above, the hairs often long stalked with long lateral rays and a short central ray, lower surface paler, densely greyish-white-ochraceous or rusty-ochraceous tomentose to shortly pubescent, with 4–5 pairs of ± straight, lateral nerves, unarmed or with a few straight prickles on the nerves beneath. Leaves often geminate at least upwards; petiole 0.8–3.8 cm long; lamina somewhat felty, 4.5–15 × 2.5–11 cm, broadly ovate, ovate-rhombic or ± elliptic, base usually ± cordate or truncate, often dimidiate, apex obtuse to acute, occasionally somewhat acuminate, usually sinuate to lobed, the lobes up to 7, broadly angular or somewhat triangular to rounded, acute to rounded, the sinuses rounded between the lobes, pubescent to scabrous above, the hairs often long stalked with long lateral rays and a short central ray, lower surface paler, densely greyish-white-ochraceous or rusty-ochraceous tomentose to shortly pubescent, with 4–5 pairs of ± straight, lateral nerves, unarmed or with a few straight prickles on the nerves beneath

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Cymes lateral, leaf-remote, axillary or extra-axillary, but ± erect and generally borne above the leaf canopy, once-forked to several times branched, ± corymbiform, at first sub-umbelliform, 1.5–3 cm across, ± congested, few to many-flowered, generally maturing numerous fruits, greenish-white-ochraceous or ochraceous-rusty tomentose, with simple, glandular hairs interspersed, nearly always unarmed, upper and late-season flowers male, lower flowers hermaphrodite; peduncle 0–0.5(1) cm long. Cymes lateral, leaf-remote, axillary or extra-axillary, but ± erect and generally borne above the leaf canopy, once-forked to several times branched, ± corymbiform, at first sub-umbelliform, 1. 5–3 cm across, ± congested, few to many-flowered, generally maturing numerous fruits, greenish-white-ochraceous or ochraceous-rusty tomentose, with simple, glandular hairs interspersed, nearly always unarmed, upper and late-season flowers male, lower flowers hermaphrodite; peduncle 0–0.5(1) cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 5-merous; pedicels (4)5–8(10) mm long, slender, glandular-pubescent or hispid-viscid, in fruit elongated to 20 mm, becoming stout and somewhat thickened distally. Flowers 5-merous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white or occasionally lilacineous, rotate to stelliform; limb 1.5–2(3) cm across; lobes 4–6 × 4–6 mm, ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, obtuse or acute to acuminate, undulate at the margins, hairy or tomentose outside on the median region, ± glabrous inside, spreading, connate by membranous sinuses. Corolla white or occasionally lilacineous, rotate to stelliform; limb 1. 5–2(3) cm across; lobes 4–6 × 4–6 mm, ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, obtuse or acute to acuminate, undulate at the margins, hairy or tomentose outside on the median region, ± glabrous inside, spreading, connate by membranous sinuses

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamen filaments 1–2 mm long; anthers (5)6–8 mm long, linear-lanceolate in outline, oblique basally, connivent into a cone. Stamen filaments 1–2 mm long; anthers (5)6–8 mm long, linear-lanceolate in outline, oblique basally, connivent into a cone

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 0.7–1 mm long, globose or ± conical (or sometimes oblong in outline), sub-sulcate at the middle, reduced in male flowers, glabrous to finely covered with short, simple, glandular hairs denser near the top; style 8–10 mm long, exceeding the stamens, curved, finely glandular-pubescent near the base, exserted, greatly reduced in male flowers and included within the connivent anthers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits greenish, turning yellowish, drab yellow or dirty-brown when ripe, 8–15 mm in diameter, globose, eaten in curry. Fruits greenish, turning yellowish, drab yellow or dirty-brown when ripe, 8–15 mm in diameter, globose, eaten in curry

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds drab brownish, numerous, 1.5–3 mm in diameter, compressed, somewhat angular, reniform or discoid, smooth to slightly granular all over. Seeds drab brownish, numerous, 1. 5–3 mm in diameter, compressed, somewhat angular, reniform or discoid, smooth to slightly granular all over

Cytology

Chromosome number: 2n=24, 48.

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 20 - 1700 m.; Andes, Islas Caribeñas, Llanura del Caribe, Pacífico.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba, arbusto, arbolito

Conservation

No Evaluada

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

chucho hediondo, cujaca, cujaco, fregaplatos, friegaplato, friegaplatos, pepo cujaco, quiebraplatos

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Vernacular

SUSUMBER

Morphology General Habit

Shrub 1–3 m tall, covered with stellate pubescence; prickles rather few

Morphology Leaves

Leaves petiolate with broadly ovate blades, these usually few-lobed, the lobes and apex acute to acuminate, the margins otherwise entire; petioles 1.5–5 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence extra-axillary, cymose; pedicels 5–8 mm long; calyx ca. 4 mm long, pubescent, the lobes ovate, acute; corolla ca. 1 cm long, densely stellate-puberulous outside the ribs, the lobes ovate-lanceolate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anthers linear, 7 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Berry globose, 10–15 mm in diameter.

Distribution

Grand Cayman. A weed of tropical American origin, but now pantropical in distribution.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident