woolly nightshade

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• bugtree
• ear-leaf nightshade
• tobacco-wood
• wild tobacco
• wild tobacco-bush
• wild tobacco-tree

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Solanum auriculatum
• Solanum tabaccifolium
• Solanum carterianum
• Solanum verbascifolium var. typicum
• Solanum verbascifolium var. auriculatum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Solanales, falling into the family Solanaceae. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by its placement within the genus Solanum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution spanning across different oceanic and continental regions. Within the Macaronesian islands, its presence is documented in the Azores, the Canary Islands, and Madeira. Moving toward the African continent, the species can also be found in West Tropical Africa. Specifically, its range extends through the country of Guinea. Additionally, the plant is recorded as being native to Nigeria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Solanum mauritianum is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution and a versatile presence across diverse Brazilian biomes. This species inhabits a wide elevational range, occurring from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum altitude of 1510 m AMSL. Its habitat preferences demonstrate significant ecological plasticity, as it is found in anthropized areas (Área Antrópica) as well as within several distinct natural ecosystems. Specifically, it thrives in the Cerrado (latu sensu), Deciduous Seasonal Forests (Floresta Estacional Decidual), Ombrophilous Forests (Floresta Ombrófila, including both Pluvial and Mixed varieties), and Ombrophilous Mixed Forests (Floresta Ombrófila Mista), indicating its ability to adapt to varying moisture regimes and vegetation structures.

Elevational range max:

1510 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Cerrado (lato sensu), Floresta Estacional Decidual, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial), Floresta Ombrófila Mista

Life history

The life history of Solanum mauritianum is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its reproductive buds are elevated on aerial shoots well above the ground level, a structural strategy that aids in its survival and growth within its specific ecological niche. This plant maintains an evergreen deciduousness, meaning it retains its foliage throughout the year rather than shedding it seasonally, providing a continuous photosynthetic capacity. Its growth habit is fundamentally defined by its phanerophyte life form, ensuring that its vital structures remain protected and elevated.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Solanum mauritianum is characterized by a woody growth form that manifests primarily as a shrub or a tree. As a terrestrial plant, it functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite or an epiphyte. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant vertical variability, with heights ranging from a minimum of 1 m to a maximum of 10 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 5.5 m. Although it possesses the ability to be self-supporting, its structural development allows it to function within the spectrum of self-supporting growth forms rather than acting as an obligatory or facultative climber.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

10 m

Plant height mean:

5.5 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Solanum mauritianum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common metabolic strategy for plants in this genus to fix carbon dioxide. Its vegetative structure features an alternate leaf arrangement, with leaves exhibiting an elliptic form. These leaves vary significantly in size, with a minimum length of 9 cm and a maximum length reaching up to 35 cm, while the width ranges from a minimum of 3.5 cm to a maximum of 14 cm, maintaining a mean width of approximately 7 cm. Regarding water and nutrient management, the plant does not exhibit succulence, indicating a lack of specialized water-storing tissues, and it does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on soil nitrogen rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Leaf arrangement :

alternate

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

35 cm

Leaf length min:

9 cm

Leaf width max:

14 cm

Leaf width mean:

7 cm

Leaf width min:

3.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Solanum mauritianum is characterized by a sexual process through bisexual flowers, which lack the capacity for asexual reproduction. The flowering period typically commences in April and concludes in June, featuring violet-colored flowers that can reach a maximum width of 2 cm. These flowers rely on biotic pollination, specifically utilizing insects as their primary pollination syndrome. Following successful pollination, the plant produces fleshy, indehiscent orange fruits classified as berries. These fruits generally measure an average of 1 cm in both length and width, with a maximum width of 1.5 cm. Each fruit is highly prolific, containing more than 1000 seeds. The seeds are quite uniform, with a mean length, minimum length, and maximum length of 1.5 mm, a mean volume of 1.9 mm³, and a mean mass of approximately 0.0010225 g (ranging from 0.00102 g to 0.00103 g). Because self-fertilization is absent, the plant's dispersal strategy is primarily zoochorous, specifically through endozoochory, where seeds are dispersed via the digestive tracts of animals.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

endozoochorous

Flower colour :

violet

Flower width max:

2 cm

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

Jun

Fruit colour :

orange

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length mean:

1 cm

Fruit type :

berry

Fruit width max:

1.5 cm

Fruit width mean:

1 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed length mean:

1.5 mm

Seed mass max:

0.00103 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0010225 g

Seed mass min:

0.00102 g

Seed volume max:

1.9 mm³

Seeds_per_fruit :

>1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Solanum mauritianum 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 stem.

Stem

1. International journal of environmental research and public health

Chemicals

Solanum mauritianum has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Glycosides, Phenols, Saponins.

Flavonoids

1. Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society

Glycosides

1. Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society

Phenols

1. Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society

Saponins

1. Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society

Conditions

Solanum mauritianum has 6 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, headache.

Escherichia coli

1. International journal of environmental research and public health

Klebsiella pneumoniae

1. International journal of environmental research and public health

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

1. International journal of environmental research and public health

Staphylococcus aureus

1. International journal of environmental research and public health

Headache

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Menstrual pains

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Solanum mauritianum has 3 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include crude secondary metabolite extracts, ethanolic extracts, stem.

Crude secondary metabolite extracts

1. International journal of environmental research and public health

Ethanolic extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Stem

1. International journal of environmental research and public health