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Useful Tropical Plants

Solanum centrale

J.M.Black

Solanaceae

+ Synonyms

Common Name:

Solanum centrale
Cultivated plant at the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne, Victoria, Australia
Photograph by: Melburnian
Creative Commons License
Solanum centrale Solanum centrale Solanum centrale Solanum centrale

General Information

Solanum centrale is an erect to sprawling, spiny herbaceous perennial plant, producing stems usually 20 - 40cm long, but sometimes up to 100cm long, from a perennial rootstock. The stems can become more or less woody[
285
Title
Florabase
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database of Western Australian plants
,
435
Title
Solanaceae Source
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://solanaceaesource.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Incredible detail on all the species in Solanum (now also including the Tomatoes which were formerly in Lycopersicon). The site will eventually include all other Genera within the Solanaceae.
]. The plant often forms suckers[
681
Title
Australian Native Food Industry Limited
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anfil.org.au/index.php/flavour-of-the-month/
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
Information on a small number of Australian plants believed to have the potential for commercial growth.
].
The fruits are harvested from the wild for local use and for use in cosmetics. One of the most delicious and popular of the Australian wild fruits, they are being cultivated on a small scale in Australia for marketing as 'bush tucker'[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
,
681
Title
Australian Native Food Industry Limited
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anfil.org.au/index.php/flavour-of-the-month/
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
Information on a small number of Australian plants believed to have the potential for commercial growth.
].

Known Hazards

The unripe fruit is toxic[
681
Title
Australian Native Food Industry Limited
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anfil.org.au/index.php/flavour-of-the-month/
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
Information on a small number of Australian plants believed to have the potential for commercial growth.
].
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[
293
Title
Poisonous Plants of North Carolina
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent concise but comprehensive guide to toxic plants that grow in N. Carolina. It lists even those plants that are of very low toxicity, including several well-known food plants such as carrots and potatoes.
].
Unless there are specific entries with information on edible uses, it would be unwise to ingest any part of this plant[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Botanical References

285
Title
Florabase
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database of Western Australian plants
,
435
Title
Solanaceae Source
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://solanaceaesource.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Incredible detail on all the species in Solanum (now also including the Tomatoes which were formerly in Lycopersicon). The site will eventually include all other Genera within the Solanaceae.

Range

Australia - Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia.

Habitat

Arid, sandy desert areas[
435
Title
Solanaceae Source
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://solanaceaesource.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Incredible detail on all the species in Solanum (now also including the Tomatoes which were formerly in Lycopersicon). The site will eventually include all other Genera within the Solanaceae.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitPerennial
Height0.30 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the drier parts of the subtropics and tropics of Australia.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
]. Small quantities can be eaten fresh[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The dried, shrivelled fruits have a rich, spicy, aromatic flavour[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
,
681
Title
Australian Native Food Industry Limited
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anfil.org.au/index.php/flavour-of-the-month/
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
Information on a small number of Australian plants believed to have the potential for commercial growth.
]. The dried fruits can be ground into a powder or preserved in oil[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. After rubbing in the native red sand, they are said to taste more like raisins[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. They are excellent in sauces, chutneys, relishes, jams and salsas[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. Traditionally, the fruits are gathered by the Aborigines, processed, dried and stored as staple foods[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
]. The drab green, then yellowish, globose fruits are 10 - 15mm in diameter[
435
Title
Solanaceae Source
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://solanaceaesource.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Incredible detail on all the species in Solanum (now also including the Tomatoes which were formerly in Lycopersicon). The site will eventually include all other Genera within the Solanaceae.
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

An extract of the fruit is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a skin conditioner[
1243
Title
CosIng
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
CosIng is the European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients.
].

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.
Division of the stems..
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-12. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Solanum+centrale>

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