Common Name: Pea Eggplant

General Information

Solanum torvum is an evergreen, sparingly-armed, spreading or scrambling, slender shrub growing from 1 - 4 metres tall[, , , ]. The stems have stout, recurved, reddish or paleyellow prickles 2.5 - 10mm long and 2 - 10mm wide[].
A common weed in the tropics, the plant is often gathered from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is increasing in popularlity as a food and is occasionally cultivated as a home garden crop, being said to be especially popular in Thailand[].

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

South America - Brazil, Colombia, north to the Caribbean and through Central America to Mexico.

Habitat

Woodland clearings, thickets and waste places at elevations from 15 - 1,260 metres in Jamaica[]. Naturalised on open, moist ground at elevations up to 1,000 metres in Nepal[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	2.50 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,600 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 17 - 29°c, but can tolerate 12 - 35°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 2,000mm, but tolerates 700 - 4,200mm[]. Heavy rainfall discourages fruit set[].
Succeeds in full sun and in light shade[]. Grows well in a range of fertile, moist but well-drained soils[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6, tolerating 4.3 - 6.8[]. Plants can tolerate some drought[].
The plant is spread by birds that eat the fruits and spread the seeds. It is considered to be a major weed in pastures, along roadsides and in wasteland in the tropics. It also occurs in plantations, but is not found in significant quantities in cultivated land[]. Often found in disturbed areas, it can form dense impenetrable stands. Solanum torvum is considered to be a serious threat to the productivity and sustainability of pasture[]. Besides its economic impacts, it competes with native species[].
The plant commences flowering when 3 - 4 months old and is said to have an economic life of 3 - 5 years[, ].
The plant can flower and produce fruit all year round[].
It can regrow after a fire[].
There are named forms in Africa and in Thailand[, ]. At least one form is free of prickles[].

Edible Uses

The young shoots can be eaten raw or cooked[, ].
Leaves and young shoots. They are cut into small pieces and cooked with salt and chilli, and garnished with mustard seeds, curry leaves and onions in oil[].

Fruit - raw or cooked. A juicy pulp, containing many small seeds[]. A distinctive, bitter flavour, it tends to be more appreciated by older people[, ]. The fruit is eaten raw in Asia, where it is also cooked and served as a side dish with rice, or is added to stews, soups, curries etc[, ]. In the West Indies, the half-grown, firm berries are boiled and eaten with foods such as yams or akees, or are added to soups and stews[]. The yellowish, globose berry can be 10 - 15mm in diameter, containing many small seeds[]. The immature fruit is green, turning yellow then orange as it ripens[].

An extract of the plant is sometimes used as a curdling agent[].

Medicinal

The plant is often used in traditional medicine and, when used wisely, its fruit and leaves can be used to control a range of microbial activities[].
The glycoalkaloid solasodine, which is found in the leaves and fruits, is used in India in the manufacture of steroidal sex hormones for oral contraceptives[].

The juice of the plant is used to treat fevers, coughs, asthma, chest ailments, sore throats, rheumatism, dropsy, stomach aches and gonorrhoea[].
The juice of the flowers, with salt added, is used as eye drops[].

The leaves are an effective antimicrobial[] and diuretic[]. An infusion is used as a treatment for thrush[]. The leaves are dried and ground to powder, this is used as a medicine for diabetic patients[].
The leaves are applied topically to treat cuts, wounds and skin diseases[, ].

A syrup prepared from the leaves and flowers is used as a treatment for colds[].

An infusion of the leaves and fruits is used as a treatment for bush yaws and sores[].

The fruit is diuretic[]. It is used in the treatment of malaria, stomach aches and problems with the spleen[, ]. A decoction is given to children as a treatment for coughs[]. The young fruits are used to improve the eyesight[].
A paste of the mature fruit is applied as a poultice to the forehead to treat headaches[]. The fruit juice is applied locally to ease the irritation of ant bites[].

A decoction of the root is used to treat venereal disease. The roots are boiled, lime juice is added, and the whole is drunk as a treatment for malaria[]. The juice of the roots is used to treat vomiting caused by weakness[].
The pounded root is inserted into the cavity of a decayed tooth to relieve toothache[].

Other Uses

The plant is sometimes used as a rootstock for tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and aubergines (Solanum melongena), where it conveys resistance to bacterial wilt and nematodes[, ]. Solanum aethiopicum cv. ‘Iizuka’ gives better results with tomatoes[].

Propagation

Seed - sow in a sunny position[]. The fresh seed shows strong dormancy. Seed is sown in a nursery and seedlings are transplanted after 5 - 6 weeks at a spacing of 1 metre[].
Branch cuttings taken from high-yielding shrubs are also used for propagation. Semi-hardwood cuttings 12 - 15cm long, collected from fresh shoots and with their leaves removed, will produce roots and new shoots in 3 - 4 weeks[].

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