Common Name:

General Information

Solanum schlechtendalianum is an unarmed shrub or small tree that can grow from 1 - 10 metres tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine.

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

S. America - northern Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas, Brazil; C. America - Panama to Guatemala; Caribbean

Habitat

Clearings, gaps, or edges in wet and moist forest, often in secondary habitats; at elevations up to 1,700 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	4.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

The fruit is a globose, purple, fleshy berry around 7 - 15mm in diameter[]. We have seen no reports on edibility.

Medicinal

Root is boiled with water, mixed with lime juice and a pinch of table salt, and drunk as an anti-malarial[].

The macerated leaves are used to treat tumors[].

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.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood. Very easy, the cuttings root within a couple of weeks.

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