Solanum aculeatissimum Jacq.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba

Photo: Bart Wursten
Bunga Forest, Vumba

Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba

Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Mt Tsetsera, Manica province

Photo: Bart Wursten
Nhahomba area, Chimanimani National Reserve

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Synonyms:	Solanum aculeatissimum Jacq. var. hispidissimum Dunal
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Description:	Shrubby perennial, up to c. 1.5 m tall. All parts abundantly armed with spines, straw-coloured to yellowish or purplish when young. Leaves broadly ovate to almost round in outline, up to 16 × 19 cm, coarsely toothed to deeply lobed, thinly but conspicuously covered in simple hairs, generally with numerous spines, particularly on the veins. Flowers in few-flowered lateral clusters. Corolla star-shaped, whitish. Fruit 2-3 cm in diameter, spherical, striped or marbled green and creamy-white, turning dirty yellow when ripe.
Type location:
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	aculeatissimum: extremely prickly
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Altitude range: (metres)
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Worldwide distribution:	Probably native to Southern Africa but now widespread throughout Tropical Africa. Also introduced in Paraguay, Brazil and Mexico.
Growth form(s):	Shrub under 2 m.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 272. Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 866. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 52. Gonçalves, A.E. (2005). Solanaceae Flora Zambesiaca 8(4) Pages 118 - 119. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 79. Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 234. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 106.

Other sources of information about Solanum aculeatissimum:

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Flora of Botswana: Solanum aculeatissimum
Flora of Malawi: Solanum aculeatissimum
Flora of Mozambique: Solanum aculeatissimum
Flora of Zambia: Solanum aculeatissimum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Solanum aculeatissimum
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Solanum aculeatissimum

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Solanum aculeatissimum
African Plant Database: Solanum aculeatissimum
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Solanum aculeatissimum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Solanum aculeatissimum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Solanum aculeatissimum
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Solanum aculeatissimum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Solanum aculeatissimum
JSTOR Plant Science: Solanum aculeatissimum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Solanum aculeatissimum
Plants of the World Online: Solanum aculeatissimum
Tropicos: Solanum aculeatissimum
Wikipedia: Solanum aculeatissimum