Common Name:

General Information

Solanum memphiticum is an erect to decumbent, annual to short-lived perennial plant with branches that can become more or less woody. It can grow up to 120cm tall[, ].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food. The plant is sometimes cultivated as a food crop, and the leaves sold in local markets[].

Known Hazards

Although providing many well-known foods for people, including the potato, tomato, pepper and aubergine, most species in this genus also contain toxic alkaloids. Whilst these alkaloids can make the plant useful in treaing a range of medical conditions, they can also cause problems such as nausea, vomiting, salivation, drowsiness, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, weakness and respiratory depression[].
Unless there are specific entries with information on edible uses, it would be unwise to ingest any part of this plant[].

Botanical References

Range

Africa - poorly known, but believed to be Cameroon to Ethiopia and Somalia, south through east Africa to S. Africa.

Habitat

Montane secondary scrub vegetation, often growing as a weed, at elevations from 800 - 3,000 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Habit	Annual/Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

The plant is often found growing as a weed within its native range, though no reports have been seen of it becoming a weed outside of this range[, ].

Edible Uses

Leaves - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[].

Fruit - raw[]. Eaten by children[]. The black fruit is a globose berry 7 - 9mm in diameter[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is sometimes grown together with maize[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow in trays in a nursery. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on fast. Plant them out when 10cm or more tall.

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