n.
[L., nightshade.]
(Bot.) A genus of plants comprehending the potato (S. tuberosum), the eggplant (S. melongena, and several hundred other species; nightshade.
Solanum
| Dictionary: So·la·num |
n.
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| Veterinary Dictionary: Solanum |
A widespread plant genus of the family Solanaceae which contains a number of valuable crop plants but also some poisonous ones. Poisoning may be due to (1) the presence in the plant of toxic glycoalkaloids which cause diarrhea, (2) alkamines, e.g. nitrosamines, which cause neuromuscular signs of incoordination, and the ‘crazy cow’ syndrome, or (3) calcinogenic glycosides which cause excessive deposition of calcium in tissues.
Solanaceous plants which may cause diarrhea syndrome include Solanum aculeastrum, S. americanum, S. aviculare, S. capsiciforme, S. capsicoides, S. carolinense, S. cinereum, S. dulcamara, S. elaeagnifolium, S. incanum, S. laciniatum, S. mauritianum, S. melongena, S. nigrum, S. panduriforme, S. pseudocapsicum, S. quadriloculatum, S. rostratum, S. seaforthianum, S. simile, S. sturtianum, S. symonii, S. triflorum, S. vescum.
Solanaceous plants which cause nervous syndromes include Solanum bonariensis, S. dimidiatum, S. fastigiatum, S. kwebense, S. luederitzii, S. lycopersicum, S. tenuiramosum, S. upingtoniae.
Solanaceous plants causing calcinosis include S. linneanum (S. hermanii, S. sodomaeum), S. malocoxylon (S. glaucophyllum), S. torvum.
Solanaceous plants causing miscellaneous syndromes include S. carolinense (inflammation of the mouth and esophagus), S. tuberosum (the common potato), which can cause carbohydrate engorgement. Eating of large quantities over a long period causes dermatitis of the lower limbs. Greened and sprouted potato tubers contain solanine and cause poisoning if fed without cooking or paring.
| Annuals Dictionary: Solanum |
Potato family
Solanaceae
So-lay'num. Nightshade . A huge genus of herbs, shrubs, vines, and sometimes trees, comprising about 1700 species of nearly worldwide distribution, but overwhelmingly tropical. The genus includes the Potato and Eggplant, as well as ornamental plants for the greenhouse or outdoor culture in the South; some are pernicious weeds.
Description
Leaves alternate, the juice of the wilted leaves deadly in some species, suspect in most others. Flowers often borne in the leaf axils or near them, often solitary or in few-flowered clusters. Calyx united. Corolla regular, shallowly bell- or wheel-shaped, the 5 stamens usually inserted on its throat. Fruit edible in some species, deadly poisonous in others.
How to Grow
Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last spring frost. If given heat of 75° F (24° C), seeds will sprout in 10-14 days. Set out in the garden when the soil and weather are warm. In cool climates, a black-plastic mulch is recommended. The species below prefers warm weather.
Solanum Melongena'Golden Eggplant'
Ornamental Eggplant
. To 2 ft. (60 cm) high, with angled or lobed leaves. Flowers violet-purple, nearly 2 in. (5 cm) wide, usually nodding. Fruit 3-5 in. (7.5-12.5 cm) wide, white turning golden yellow. Africa, Asia. Several other cultivars available. Tender annual.
| Word Tutor: Solanum |
IN BRIEF: n. - Type genus of the nightshade.
| Wikipedia: Solanum |
"Nightshade" redirects here. For other uses, see Nightshade (disambiguation).
- "Horsenettle" and variants redirect here. If used for a particular species, this name usually applies to the Carolina Horsenettle (S. carolinense).
For the Solanum Virus, see The Zombie Survival Guide.
| Solanum | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Brazilian Nightshade (Solanum seaforthianum) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Solanales |
| Family: | Solanaceae |
| Genus: | Solanum L. |
| Subgenera | |
|
Bassovia |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Androcera Nutt. |
|
Solanum, the nightshades, horsenettles and relatives, is a large and diverse genus of annual and perennial plants. They grow as forbs, vines, sub-shrubs, shrubs, and small trees, and often have attractive fruit and flowers. Many formerly independent genera like Lycopersicon (the tomatoes) or Cyphomandra are included in Solanum as subgenera or sections today. Thus, the genus nowadays contains roughly 1,500-2,000 species.
Most parts of the plants, especially the green parts and unripe fruit, are poisonous to humans (albeit not necessarily to other animals), but many species in the genus bear some edible parts, such as fruits, leaves, or tubers. Several species are cultivated, including three globally important food crops:
Other species are significant food crops regionally, such as Ethiopian Eggplant and gilo (S. aethiopicum), naranjilla or lulo (S. quitoense), Turkey Berry (S. torvum), or the "bush tomatoes" (several Australian species).
While most medical relevance of Solanum is due to poisonings which are not uncommon and may be fatal, several species are locally used in folk medicine, particularly by native peoples who have long employed them. Giant Devil's-fig (S. chrysotrichum) has been shown to be an effective treatment for seborrhoeic dermatitis in a scientific study.[1]
Solanum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species (butterflies and moths) - see list of Lepidoptera that feed on Solanum.
Contents |
Systematics
See also: List of Solanum species
The genus was established by Carl Linnaeus in 1753.[2] 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.[2] Many of the subgenera and sections might not be valid; they are used here provisionally as the phylogeny of this genus is not fully resolved yet and many species have not been reevaluated.
Cladistic analyses of DNA sequence data suggests that the present subdivisions and rankings are largely invalid. Far more subgenera would seem to warrant recognition, with Leptostemonum being the only one that can at present be clearly subdivided into sections. Notably, it includes as a major lineage several members of the traditional sections Cyphomandropsis and the old genus Cyphomandra.[3]
Subgenus Bassovia
Section Allophylla
Section Cyphomandropsis
- Solanum glaucophyllum Desf. – Waxy-leaved Nightshade
Section Pachyphylla
Subgenus Leptostemonum
|
Section Acanthophora
Section Anisantherum
Section Graciliflorum[verification needed]
Section Irenosolanum
Section Ischyracanthum
Section Melongena
|
Section Micracantha
Section Monodolichopus
Section Persicariae
Section Polytrichum
|
Subgenus Lyciosolanum
- Solanum guineense L.
Subgenus Solanum sensu stricto
|
Section Afrosolanum
Section Basarthrum
Section Benderianum
Section Dulcamara
Section Herpystichum
Section Juglandifolia
Section Lycopersicon
|
Section Macronesiotes
Section Pteroidea
|
Other notable species
|
|
Formerly placed here
Some plants of yet other genera also were placed in Solanum in former times:
- Chamaesaracha coronopus (as S. coronopus)
- Lycianthes biflora (as S. multifidum Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don)
- Lycianthes denticulata (as S. gouakai var. angustifolium and var. latifolium)
- Lycianthes lycioides (as S. lycioides var. angustifolium)
- Lycianthes mociniana (as S. uniflorum Dunal in Poir. and S. uniflorum Sessé & Moc.)
- Lycianthes rantonnetii (as S. rantonnetii, S. urbanum var. ovatifolium and var. typicum)
- Undetermined species of Lycianthes have been referred to under names such as S. chrysophyllum, S. ciliatum Blume ex Miq., S. corniculatum Hiern, S. lanuginosum, S. loxense, S. mucronatum, S. retrofractum var. acuminatum, S. violaceum Blume, S. violifolium f. typicum, S. virgatum notst ß albiflorum, S. uniflorum Lag. or S. uniflorum var. berterianum.
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Solanum |
 |
Wikispecies has information related to: Solanum |
- ^ Herrera-Arellano, A.; Jiménez-Ferrer, E.; Vega-Pimentel, A.M.; Martínez-Rivera, Mde.L.; Hernández-Hernández, M.; Zamilpa, A. & Tortoriello, J. (2004). "Clinical and mycological evaluation of therapeutic effectiveness of Solanum chrysotrichum standardized extract on patients with Pityriasis capitis (dandruff). A double blind and randomized clinical trial controlled with ketoconazole". Planta Medica 70 (6): 483-488. doi:.
- ^ a b "Solanum Phylogeny". Solanaceae Source. Natural History Museum. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/research/projects/solanaceaesource/taxonomy/phylogeny/index.jsp. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
- ^ Agricultural Research Service (13 April 2006). "Genus: Solanum L.". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?11264. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
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