Solanaceae FAMILY

Solanum peruvianum

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

0/5

Safety & Hazards

All green parts of the plant are poisonous[ 76 Title Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. Publication Author Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Publisher HMSO Year 1984 ISBN 0112425291 Description Concentrates mainly on the effects of poisonous plants to livestock. ]. Although providing many well-known foods for people, including the potato, tomato, pepper and aubergine, most species in this genus also contain toxic alkaloids. Whilst these alkaloids can make the plant useful in treaing a range of medical conditions, they can also cause problems such as nausea, vomiting, salivation, drowsiness, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, weakness and respiratory depression[ 293 Title Poisonous Plants of North Carolina Publication Author Website http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent concise but comprehensive guide to toxic plants that grow in N. Carolina. It lists even those plants that are of very low toxicity, including several well-known food plants such as carrots and potatoes. ]. Unless there are specific entries with information on edible uses, it would be unwise to ingest any part of this plant[ K Title Plants for a Future Author Ken Fern Description Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips. ].

Botanical Description

Solanum peruvianum is a spreading to erect herbaceous perennial to small shrub that becomes woody at the base[ 435 Title Solanaceae Source Publication Author Website http://solanaceaesource.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Incredible detail on all the species in Solanum (now also including the Tomatoes which were formerly in Lycopersicon). The site will eventually include all other Genera within the Solanaceae. ]. It grows up to 50cm tall[ 435 Title Solanaceae Source Publication Author Website http://solanaceaesource.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Incredible detail on all the species in Solanum (now also including the Tomatoes which were formerly in Lycopersicon). The site will eventually include all other Genera within the Solanaceae. ]. The edible fruit is gathered from the wild and consumed locally.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeWestern S. America - northern Chile to central Peru.

HabitatWestern slopes of the Andes; at elevations below 2,900 metres[ 124 Title The Garden. Volume 113. Publication Author RHS. Publisher Royal Horticultural Society Year 1988 ISBN - Description Snippets of information from the magazine of the RHS, including details on Podophyllum, Canna and Protea species. ]. In lomas formations and occasionally in coastal deserts, occasionally occurring as a weed at field edges in coastal river valleys, at elevations from sea level up to 600 metres[ 435 Title Solanaceae Source Publication Author Website http://solanaceaesource.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Incredible detail on all the species in Solanum (now also including the Tomatoes which were formerly in Lycopersicon). The site will eventually include all other Genera within the Solanaceae. ].