- Solanum linnaeanum
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Solanum linnaeanum 
Purple flowers and ripe yellow fruit stand out against the green foliage Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Solanales Family: Solanaceae Genus: Solanum Species: S. linnaeanum Binomial name Solanum linnaeanum
Hepper & P.-M.L.JaegerSynonyms See text
- "Devil's apple" and variants redirect here. This name is also used for the unrelated Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum).
Unripe fruit and thorns
Solanum linnaeanum is a nightshade species known as Devil's Apple and in some places where it is introduced as "Apple of Sodom". The latter name is also for other nightshades and entirely different plants elsewhere.
This poisonous plant bearing tomato-like fruit is native to South Africa[1] and considered to be an invasive species in Australia,[2] New Zealand,[3] Hawaii, Fiji, New Caledonia, and other Pacific Islands.[4]
Solbec Pharmaceuticals has developed Coramsine,[5] a 1:1 mixture of the alkaloids solamargine and solasonine extracted from Solanum linnaeanum. A protocol for Phase II trials against advanced solid tumors was presented in 2005.[6]
Synonyms
Due to confusion about what species the original Solanum sodomeum of Carl Linnaeus referred to, the old description was discarded and the plant redescribed as currently understood. A new taxon honoring Linnaeus was chosen. A number of invalid taxa have thus become attached to the Devil's Apple:[7]
- Solanum astrophorum Jan (nomen nudum)
- Solanum hermannii Dunal
- Solanum mccannii Santapau
- Solanum sodomeum L.
- Solanum sodomeum var. hermannii (Dunal) Dunal
- Solanum sodomeum var. mediterraneum Dunal
- Solanum undatum Bouton ex Dunal (preoccupied)
- Solanum undatum as described by Walsh is Solanum lycocarpum.
- Solanum undatum var. violaceum, described by Dunal in de Candolle, is the original Solanum aethiopicum of Linnaeus.
It is not clear whether the plant described by Drège as Solanum sodomeum was of this species. Solanum sodomeum by Russ based on Nees von Esenbeck is another nomen nudum.[7]
Footnotes
References
- Australian Weeds Committee (AWC) (2004): Weeds Australia – Apple of Sodom. Retrieved 2006-MAY-27.
- Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAF-WA) [2006]: Declared plants list – Apple of Sodom (Solanum linnaeanum). Retrieved 2006-MAY-27.
- Millward, M.; Powell, A.; Tyson, S.; Daly, P.; Ferguson, R. & Carter, S. (2005): Phase I trial of coramsine (SBP002) in patients with advanced solid tumors. Abstract of presentation at 2005 ASCO Annual Meeting. J. Clin. Oncol. 23(16S): 3105 HTML fulltext
- Roy, Bruce; Popay, Ian; Champion, Paul; James, Trevor & Rahman, Anis (2005): An Illustrated Guide to Common Weeds of New Zealand – Solanum linnaeanum / apple of Sodom. Version of 2005-DEC-20. Retrieved 2006-MAY-27.
- Solanaceae Source (2008): Solanum linnaeanum. Version of July 2008. Retrieved 2008-SEP-25.
- Solbec Pharmaceuticals (SP) [2006]: Coramsine Manufacturing and Operations. Retrieved 2006-MAY-27.
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