Solanum incanum

"Bitterball" redirects here. For the Dutch food, see Bitterballen.

Solanum incanum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Solanum
Subgenus: Solanum subg. Leptostemonum
Section: Solanum sect. Melongena
Species:
S. incanum
Binomial name
Solanum incanum
Synonyms[2]
  • Solanum coagulans var. griseum Dunal
  • Solanum floccosistellatum Bitter
  • Solanum hierochuntinum Dunal
  • Solanum hierochuntinum var. lanuginosum Dunal
  • Solanum incanum var. brevitomentosum Bitter
  • Solanum incanum subsp. horridescens Bitter
  • Solanum incanum var. integrascens Bitter
  • Solanum incanum var. kavirondoense Bitter
  • Solanum incanum var. pluribaccatum Bitter
  • Solanum incanum subsp. schoanum Bitter
  • Solanum incanum var. unguiculatum (A.Rich.) Abedin, Al-Yahya, Chaudhary & J.S.Mossa
  • Solanum sanctum L., nom. superfl.
  • Solanum undulatum Poir.
  • Solanum unguiculatum A.Rich.

Solanum incanum is a species of nightshade, a flowering plant in the family Solanaceae. It is native to East Africa, West Africa, the Middle East, and eastwards to India. The species was introduced to Taiwan and Vietnam.[3]

Common names include thorn apple, bitter apple,[1] bitterball[4] and bitter tomato[5][6] It may be confused with the similar S. linnaeanum where their ranges overlap in Africa. In ancient India, Solanum incanum was domesticated into the eggplant, Solanum melongena.[7][8][9] In biblical literature, it is sometimes referred to as a "hedge of thorns" (Hebrew: מְשֻׂכַת חָדֶק).[10]

  1. ^ a b "Solanum incanum". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  2. ^ "Solanum incanum L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  3. ^ "Solanum incanum L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
  4. ^ Abstracts on Tropical Agriculture. January 1990. p. 57.
  5. ^ Dr.Thimmaiah. "Bitter Tomato : A Potential Underutilized Crop". Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  6. ^ "Solanum incanum (grey bitter-apple)". www.cabi.org. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  7. ^ Tsao and Lo in "Vegetables: Types and Biology". Handbook of Food Science, Technology, and Engineering by Yiu H. Hui (2006). CRC Press. ISBN 1-57444-551-0.
  8. ^ Doijode, S. D. (2001). Seed storage of horticultural crops (pp 157). Haworth Press: ISBN 1-56022-901-2
  9. ^ Ancestor of brinjal Solanum incanum
  10. ^ Proverbs 15:19