Solanum aviculare

:"Kangaroo Apple" redirects here. This name is also used for related species of "Solanum.Taxobox
name = Poroporo

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image_width = 240px
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Tracheobionta
classis = Magnoliopsida
subclassis = Asteridae
ordo = Solanales
familia = Solanaceae
genus = "Solanum"
species = "S. aviculare"
binomial = "Solanum aviculare"
binomial_authority = G.Forst.
synonyms ="Solanum baylisii" Geras.
"Solanum cheesemaniae" Geras.
"Solanum dispar" Loisel. ex Dunal ("nomen nudum"?)
"Solanum glaberrimum" Dunal ("non" C.V.Morton: preoccupied)
and see textSolanaceae Source (2006)]

"Solanum aviculare", commonly called Poroporo (New Zealand) or Kangaroo Apple (Australia), is a soft-wooded shrub native to New Zealand and the east coast of Australia.

It can grow up to 12 feet tall (4 meters). The leaves are, 8–30 cm long, lobed or entire, with any lobes being 1–10 cm long.

Its hermaphroditic (having both male and female organs) flowers are white, mauve to blue-violet, 25-40 mm wide, and are followed by poisonous berries 10-15 mm wide, orange-red to scarlet.

Uses

The leaves and unripe fruit of "S. aviculare" contain the toxic alkaloid solasidine. "S.aviculare" is also cultivated in Russia and Hungary for the solasidine which is extracted and used as a base material for the production of steroid contraceptives. [Low (1990): pp.210-211]

The plant is also used as a rootstock for grafting eggplant.

Taxonomy and systematics

There is some uncertainty whether "S. aviculare" and "S. laciniatum" are one or two species. "S. aviculare" has lighter flowers and is found in the northern part of the North Island of New Zealand, while "S. laciniatum" has darker purple flowers and is found south of Auckland.

In addition to this and the junior synonyms cited above, two varieties of "S. aviculare" have been named, but they are not considered taxonomically distinct anymore:
* "Solanum aviculare" var. "albiflorum" Cheeseman
* "Solanum aviculare" var. "latifolium" G.T.S.Baylis

Footnotes

References

* (1990): "Bush Medicine, A Pharmacopoeia of Natural Remedies". Angus & Robertson. ISBN 0207164622
* (2006): [http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/research/projects/solanaceaesource/taxonomy/description-detail.jsp?taxa=1213 "Solanum sessiliflorum"] . Version of April 2006. Retrieved 2008-SEP-27.

External links

* [http://www.sbs.auckland.ac.nz/info/schools/nzplants/food_tree_solanum.htm Plants of New Zealand] "S. aviculare"