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Solanum Linnaeus. Common name: Nightshade, Tomato, Potato, Horse-Nettle.

Contributed by Milo Pyne and Alan S. Weakley

Key to Solanum

A genus of 1500 (or more) species, trees, shrubs, lianas, and herbs, of tropical and temperate regions of the Old and New World.

ID notes: The color and size of the berry, and the presence (and number) or absence of sclerotic granules (=stone cells) is useful in identification. "These are hardened masses within the fruit pulp that are usually spherical, 0.5-5 mm in diameter, and visible with 10× magnification. In dissected fruits they are generally paler, rounded, and more homogeneous in appearance than the seeds" (Bohs 2023).

References: Barboza et al. In Kadereit & Bittrich (2016); Bohs (2023) In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2023c); Bohs & Olmstead (1997); Harper & Diamond (2021); Hilgenhof et al. (2023); Knapp et al. (2019); Olmstead & Palmer (1997); Särkinen et al. (2018); Schilling (1981); Wahlert, Chiarini, & Bohs (2015). Show full citations.

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Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend. Data for arrows not developed for genera and families which may have species only occurring outside the flora area.

image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Solanum sarrachoides | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Solanum lycopersicum | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Aidan Campos | Solanum elaeagnifolium source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Solanum carolinense var. carolinense | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Evan Raskin | Solanum dulcamara | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Aidan Campos | Solanum americanum source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Aidan Campos | Solanum rostratum source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Sonnia Hill | Solanum campechiense | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Keith Bradley | Solanum elaeagnifolium | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© David Umanzor, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by David Umanzor | Solanum candidum source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Jay Horn | Solanum donianum source | Original Image ⭷

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