Solanum viarum
Encyclopedia
- "Solanum chloranthum" redirects here. This refers to the name as established by Michel Félix DunalMichel Félix DunalMichel Felix Dunal was a French botanist. He was professor of botany in Montpellier, France. He held the chair of Medical Natural History from 1816 to 1819...
. Other scientists have applied this taxonTaxon|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
to other speciesSpeciesIn biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
; see below.
Solanum viarum, the Tropical Soda Apple, is a perennial
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
native to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
with a prickly
Thorns, spines, and prickles
In botanical morphology, thorns, spines, and prickles are hard structures with sharp, or at least pointed, ends. In spite of this common feature, they differ in their growth and development on the plant; they are modified versions of different plant organs, stems, stipules, leaf veins, or hairs...
stem and prickly leaves. The fruit is golf ball sized with the coloring of a watermelon
Watermelon
Watermelon is a vine-like flowering plant originally from southern Africa. Its fruit, which is also called watermelon, is a special kind referred to by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind and fleshy center...
. It is sometimes considered an invasive species
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
in the lower eastern coastal states of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and recently on the Mid North Coast of Australia.
Synonyms
This species has been referred to under some other names, in particular one of which is very ambiguous:- Solanum chloranthum DC.
- S. chloranthum as described by PoeppigEduard Friedrich PoeppigEduard Friedrich Poeppig was a German botanist, zoologist and explorer.-Biography:He was born in Plauen, Saxony. He studied medicine and natural history at the University of Leipzig, graduating with a medical degree. On graduation, the rector of the university gave him a botanical mission to North...
based on Otto SendtnerOtto SendtnerOtto Sendtner was a German botanist and phytogeographer born in Munich.He received his education at the University of Munich, where he was a student of Karl Friedrich Schimper...
in von MartiusCarl Friedrich Philipp von MartiusCarl Friedrich Philipp von Martius was a German botanist and explorer.Martius was born at Erlangen, where he graduated M.D. in 1814, publishing as his thesis a critical catalogue of plants in the botanic garden of the university...
is now S. velutinum - S. chloranthum as described by Philipp Salzmann based on DunalMichel Félix DunalMichel Felix Dunal was a French botanist. He was professor of botany in Montpellier, France. He held the chair of Medical Natural History from 1816 to 1819...
in de CandolleA. P. de CandolleAugustin Pyramus de Candolle also spelled Augustin Pyrame de Candolle was a Swiss botanist. René Louiche Desfontaines launched Candolle's botanical career by recommending him at an herbarium...
is now S. agrarium - S. chloranthum as described by C.P.J. Sprengel is now S. arenarium as described by Otto Sendtner
- Solanum khasianum var. chatterjeeanum Sengupta & Sengupta
- S. khasianum proper is now S. aculeatissimumSolanum aculeatissimumSolanum aculeatissimum, otherwise known as the Indian Nightshade, is a weedy shrub that bears small, 2-3 cm pale yellow fruit following white flowers with characteristic Solanum yellow stamens. Where S. aculeatissimum is native to has yet to be conclusively determined...
as described by Nikolaus Joseph von JacquinNikolaus Joseph von JacquinNikolaus Joseph Freiherr von Jacquin or Baron Nikolaus von Jacquin. was a scientist who studied medicine, chemistry and botany....
.- Solanum viridiflorum Schltdl.
- Not to be confused with S. acuminatum var. viridiflorum, which is now S. caavurana.
External links
- Tropical Soda Apple Task Force of the southeastern United States
- Global Invasive Species Database
- Species Profile- Tropical Soda Apple (Solanum viarum), National Invasive Species Information Center, United States National Agricultural LibraryUnited States National Agricultural LibraryThe United States National Agricultural Library is one of the world's largest agricultural research libraries, and serves as a National Library of the United States and as the library of the United States Department of Agriculture...
. Lists general information and resources for Tropical Soda Apple.