Solanum torvum Sw., Prodr. [O.P. Swartz] 47. 1788.

Aubriot, Xavier & Knapp, Sandra, 2022, A revision of the " spiny solanums " of Tropical Asia (Solanum, the Leptostemonum Clade, Solanaceae), PhytoKeys 198, pp. 1-270 : 1

44. Solanum torvum Sw., Prodr. [O.P. Swartz] 47. 1788.

Figs 3G , 73A, B

Solanum macaoense Dunal, Prodr. [A.P. de Candolle] 13(1): 264. 1852. Type. China. Guangdong: “Macao”, S. Callery 28/29 (holotype: P [P00055495]).

Type.

"Indiae occidentalis" ["Provenit in sepibus Jamaicae, Hispaniolae, Insulis Bermudensibus" Swartz 1797: 456], O. Swartz s.n. (lectotype, designated by Vorontsova and Knapp 2016, pg. 351: S [S-R-5814]).

Description.

Vorontsova and Knapp (2016: 351-355); http://www.solanaceaesource.org/solanaceae/solanum-torvum-1.

Distribution.

Solanum torvum is naturalised throughout tropical Asia; it is native to Central America and the Caribbean but has achieved a worldwide distribution in tropical and subtropical areas.

Common names.

Bangladesh. tith begum ( Rahman’s collector 1124). Brunei Darussalam. terong pipit (Norul Rozimah Pg Hj Seruji 18-b-3000); tarong cit, tarong lowow (Yati 412). Cambodia. trâp put num nhong, trâp rom nhong ( Hul and Dy Phon 2014). China. shui qie ( Zhang et al. 1994). India. Assam: hati bhekur (Marriot 86); Bihar: jangali baigan ( Varma 1981); Chhattisgarh: ban bhata, kutmi (Mooney 120); Kerala: anachunda ( Mohanan and Henry 1994); Maharashtra: adhvi badnae [Kanara] (Fernandes 1377), ran vanghae (Marathi, Fernandes 1377); Odisha: tutugana (Mooney 688); Rajasthan: bhurat [Hindi] ( Singh 1991); Tamil Nadu: sundai [Tamil] ( Matthew 1983); sundaikai [Tamil] ( Henry et al. 1987); sundaikkaai (Sampath Kumar et al. 126940). Indonesia. Borneo: terung pipit (Wiriadianata 1196); Sumatra: tĕrong pipit ( Burkill 1935). Laos. kh’èngz do:n, kh’èngz hna:m hlwàng, kh’èngz khâm, kh’èngz saph’ao ( Hul and Dy Phon 2014). Malaysia. Malacca: trong naya bang (Anonymous 418); terong manggor (Anonymous s.n. K001153289). Malaysia/Singapore. tĕrong pipit puteh, tĕrong rembang ( Burkill 1935, but care to be taken with these names, they include other Torva clade taxa). Mauritius. Bringelle marron (Drennen 24). Sri Lanka. gona batu [Sinhala] (Hepper & Silva 4675, Hepper 4411, Hepper 4415); tibatu [Sinhala] (Veldkamp 7852). Thailand. weng (387); sambalan (Hoed & Kostermans 962). Vietnam. cà cõ, cà rùng, cà gai, cà pháo, trong phang, trong phet ( Hul and Dy Phon 2014).

Discussion.

Solanum torvum is by far the most commonly collected spiny solanum in tropical Asia; most recent collections sent to us for identification are this species. It may be becoming more common with anthropogenic change or with spread due to human use. Solanum torvum is ubiquitous and fully naturalised in the region and has become culturally important in many countries (see multiplicity of common names above). The fruits are used in cooking in China and Indochina; they are exported to Europe under the name pea eggplant. Hul and Dy Phon (2014) record the use of seeds in traditional medicine in Indochina, and in India extracts of the plant are used for relief from bites of venomous insects or snakes. In Bhutan the roots and leaves are used medicinally and the fruits are eaten ( Mill 2001).

Vorontsova and Knapp (2016) incorrectly placed S. pseudosaponaceum and its synonym S. macaoense in the synonymy of S. torvum , our examination of more extensive material from tropical Asia clearly shows that S. pseudosaponaceum is a distinct taxon. Solanum torvum is a member of the Torvum clade and can be distinguished from all other members of that group in Asia ( S. chrysotrichum , S. comitis , S. kachinense , S. peikuoense , S. poka , S. pseudosaponaceum , S. torvoideum ) by its densely glandular inflorescences with tiny simple glandular trichomes, in addition to the stellate trichomes found in the rest of the plant; the rest of the plant is eglandular.

Specimens examined.

See Suppl. materials 1-3.

Figures

Figure 3. Diversity of inflorescences and flowers in tropical Asian spiny solanums A lax, spreading inflorescences and stellate flowers of Solanum violaceum (Sampath Kumar et al. 126945, India) B condensed, recurved inflorescences and stellate flowers of S. multiflorum (Sampath Kumar et al. 126950, India) C inflorescences and large stellate flowers of S. involucratum (field photograph, unvouchered, Vietnam) D inflorescences and stellate flowers of S. pubescens with unequal stamens, one long and recurved (Sampath Kumar et al. 126956, India) E large rotate flower of S. insanum with abundant interpetalar corolla tissues (Sampath Kumar et al. 126918, India) F many flowered inflorescence and infructescence of S. pseudosaponaceum (field photograph, unvouchered, Philippines) G many flowered inflorescences of S. torvum; flowers with well-developed interpetalar corolla tissues (Suksathan et al. PS 3815, Thailand) H small stellate flowers of S. viarum (Sampath Kumar et al. 126944, India). Photograph credits: A, B, D, E, H X. Aubriot C M. Nuraliev F D. Tandang G D. Pedersen.

Figure 73. Introduced species of Solanum. Solanum torvum Sw. A habit (Meeboonya et al. RM 267, Thailand) B detail view of an inflorescence with flowers and fruits (Meeboonya et al. RM 267, Thailand). Solanum viarum Dunal C habit (Sampath Kumar et al. 126976, India) D detail view of a flower (Sampath Kumar et al. 126923, India) E detail view of a fruit (Sampath Kumar et al. 126923, India). Solanum wrightii Benth. F habit (Meeboonya et al. RM 271, Thailand) G detail view of flowers (Meeboonya et al. RM 271, Thailand) H detail view of fruits (Meeboonya et al. RM 271, Thailand). Photograph credits: X. Aubriot.