Kangaroo-Apple

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Kangaroo-Apple
• large-flower kangaroo-apple

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Solanum aviculare var. laciniatum
• Solanum laciniatum var. elegans
• Solanum reclinatum
• Solanum laciniatum f. australiense
• Solanum laciniatum f. cultum
• Solanum laciniatum f. novozelandicum
• Solanum laciniatum f. laciniatum
• Solanum laciniatum f. tasmanicum
• Solanum laciniatum f. viridicaule

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. It falls under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Solanales, specifically within the family Solanaceae. Finally, it is identified by its genus, Solanum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide range of presence across various regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its distribution can be observed within the territories of Great Britain and Ireland. Moving toward the center of the continent, it is also found throughout Middle Europe, specifically in Germany. Its reach extends into Southwestern Europe, where it inhabits the landscapes of France. Finally, the species completes its recorded range by appearing in the southern reaches of Spain.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Solanum laciniatum is characterized by its specialized adaptation to coastal environments, where it thrives within saline-influenced maritime landscapes. This plant is strategically situated to withstand the unique stressors of coastal habitats, including high salt spray, sandy substrates, and wind exposure. Interestingly, its ecological interactions with soil fungi are distinct, as it does not form mycorrhizal associations, functioning instead through non-mycorrhizal nutrient acquisition strategies within its specific niche.

Habitat :

Coastal

Mycorrhiza :

no

Life history

The life history of Solanum laciniatum is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist across multiple growing seasons. It exhibits a phanerophyte life form, specifically categorized as a phanerophyte, which indicates that its perennating buds are located on aerial parts of the stem well above the ground level. Furthermore, this species maintains an evergreen deciduousness, retaining its foliage throughout the year rather than shedding it seasonally.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Solanum laciniatum is characterized by a woody growth form that manifests as a combination of a shrub and a subshrub. As a terrestrial plant, it functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite or an epiphyte. The plant exhibits a self-supporting climbing habit, rather than acting as an obligatory or facultative vine or liana. In terms of stature, it reaches varying heights, typically ranging from a minimum of 1 m to a maximum of 4 m, with a mean plant height of approximately 2.5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

subshrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

4 m

Plant height mean:

2.5 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Solanum laciniaatum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common metabolic strategy that facilitates carbon fixation through the Calvin cycle. Morphologically, the plant's foliage displays a consistent leaf width, maintaining a mean, minimum, and maximum value of 5 cm, while the leaf length reaches a maximum of 30 cm. Furthermore, this species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on available soil nutrients rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing mechanisms to support its growth and metabolic processes.

Leaf length max:

30 cm

Leaf width mean:

5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Solanum laciniatum is driven by biotic processes, specifically utilizing an insect-based pollination syndrome. The plant does not exhibit asexual reproduction, relying instead on sexual reproduction to produce fleshy fruits. These fruits typically measure an average of 2.5 cm in length and 2.2 cm in width. Within these fleshy structures, the plant produces seeds that are highly uniform in size, with a consistent seed length of 2 mm and a seed volume of 2 mm³. The seeds are quite lightweight, with a mean mass of 0.0016 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.001 g to a maximum of 0.00279 g. For the spread of its progeny, the species employs a zoochorous dispersal syndrome, specifically through endozoochory, where seeds are dispersed after being ingested by animals.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

endozoochorous

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length mean:

2.5 cm

Fruit width mean:

2.2 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed length mean:

2 mm

Seed mass max:

0.00279 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0016 g

Seed mass min:

0.001 g

Seed volume max:

2 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Solanum laciniatum has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Journal - Association of Official Analytical Chemists

Chemicals

Solanum laciniatum has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include solasodine, N-acetyl-m-aminobenzoic acid, betulinic acid, salicyl alcohol.

solasodine

1. Journal - Association of Official Analytical Chemists
2. Journal of pharmaceutical sciences

N-acetyl-m-aminobenzoic acid

1. Journal of Asian natural products research

betulinic acid

1. Dr. Duke

salicyl alcohol

1. Journal of Asian natural products research

Activities

Solanum laciniatum has 18 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anthelmintic, AntiHIV, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Anticarcinomic.

Anthelmintic

1. Dr. Duke

AntiHIV

1. Dr. Duke

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke

Anticarcinomic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiedemic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiinflammatory

1. Dr. Duke

Antileukemic

1. Dr. Duke

Antimalarial

1. Dr. Duke

Antimelanomic

1. Dr. Duke

Preparations

Solanum laciniatum has 2 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Solanum laciniatum leaves, cell suspension cultures.

Solanum laciniatum leaves

1. Journal - Association of Official Analytical Chemists

Cell suspension cultures

1. Journal of Asian natural products research