Solanum ellipticum
R.Br.
Solanaceae
Solanum lithophilum F.Muell.
Common Name:
General Information
Solanum ellipticum is a sprawling, prickly, herbaceous perennial plant forming a clump about 1 metre in diameter[
365- Title
- Flora of New South Wales
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/floraonline.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource giving a brief botanical description of all the native plants of New South Wales, their habitat and range, together with diagrams and photographs of the plants.
]. The branches and petioles are sparsely to densely scattered with prickles[
365- Title
- Flora of New South Wales
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/floraonline.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource giving a brief botanical description of all the native plants of New South Wales, their habitat and range, together with diagrams and photographs of the plants.
,
397- Title
- Australian Native Plants Society
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://anpsa.org.au/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A series of fact sheets on Australian plants. Good photographs, brief description and information on uses, habitat, range, cultivation etc.
].
The fruits are sometimes gathered from the wild for local consumption. The plant has potential for use as an edible ornamental in arid gardens[
397- Title
- Australian Native Plants Society
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://anpsa.org.au/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A series of fact sheets on Australian plants. Good photographs, brief description and information on uses, habitat, range, cultivation etc.
].
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[
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
Range
Australia - all mainland states except Victoria.
Habitat
Heavy clay and sandy soils[
365- Title
- Flora of New South Wales
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/floraonline.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource giving a brief botanical description of all the native plants of New South Wales, their habitat and range, together with diagrams and photographs of the plants.
]. Usually grows in rocky areas, often in open forest but also found in vine thickets and monsoon forest at elevations from 200 - 600 metres in Queensland[
713- Title
- Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/rfk/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online resource giving botanical information, and a little bit about plant usage, for over 2,700 species of plants found in the Australian rainforest.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 0.50 m |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant mainly of the warm temperate to subtropical zones, just entering the tropics in northern Australia.
Prefers a position in full sun[
397- Title
- Australian Native Plants Society
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://anpsa.org.au/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A series of fact sheets on Australian plants. Good photographs, brief description and information on uses, habitat, range, cultivation etc.
]. Plants are drought tolerant - top growth dies off during extended dry periods but the plant resprouts after good rains[
397- Title
- Australian Native Plants Society
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://anpsa.org.au/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A series of fact sheets on Australian plants. Good photographs, brief description and information on uses, habitat, range, cultivation etc.
].
Edible Uses
Fruit[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. The fruit is a berry, 15 - 20mm in diameter., pale yellow-green, often tinged purple[
365- Title
- Flora of New South Wales
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/floraonline.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource giving a brief botanical description of all the native plants of New South Wales, their habitat and range, together with diagrams and photographs of the plants.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - the flesh of the fruit must be completely removed before sowing because it contains germination inhibitors[
397- Title
- Australian Native Plants Society
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://anpsa.org.au/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A series of fact sheets on Australian plants. Good photographs, brief description and information on uses, habitat, range, cultivation etc.
]. 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.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood. Very easy, the cuttings root within a couple of weeks.
Division
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
