Poroporo

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

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Tracheobionta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Subclass: Asteridae
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Solanum
Species: S. aviculare
Binomial name
Solanum aviculare
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 text[1]

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.

Contents

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.[2]

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:[1]

  • Solanum aviculare var. albiflorum Cheeseman
  • Solanum aviculare var. latifolium G.T.S.Baylis

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b Solanaceae Source (2006)
  2. ^ Low (1990): pp.210-211

References

  • Low, T. (1990): Bush Medicine, A Pharmacopoeia of Natural Remedies. Angus & Robertson. ISBN 0207164622
  • Solanaceae Source (2006): Solanum sessiliflorum. Version of April 2006. Retrieved 2008-SEP-27.

External links

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Wikipedia content modification information:

  • This page was last modified on 4 October 2008, at 00:35.

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