Solanum Seaforthianum

Factsheet - Solanum seaforthianum http://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/03030800-0b07-...

Brazilian nightshade Click on images to enlarge Solanum seaforthianum

Scientific Name Solanum seaforthianum Andrews

Common Names blue potato vine, Brazilian night-shade, Brazilian nightshade, climbing nightshade, Italian jasmine, infestation (Photo: Sheldon Navie) potato creeper, St. Vincent lilac, St. Vincent's lilac, star potato vine, vining solanum

Family Solanaceae

Origin This species is believed to be native to Mexico, Central America (i.e. Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama), the Caribbean (i.e. Trinidad and Tobago), south-eastern USA (i.e. Florida) and tropical South America (i.e. Venezuela and Colombia). infestation (Photo: Sheldon Navie) Naturalised Distribution Widely naturalised in the coastal districts of eastern Australia (i.e. in eastern Queensland and eastern New South Wales). Also naturalised in the coastal districts of northern Western Australia and sparingly naturalised in South Australia.

Widely naturalised overseas, including in tropical and southern Africa, eastern Asia and on some Pacific islands (e.g. Hawaii and New Caledonia).

Cultivation Originally introduced as a garden ornamental, it scrambling habit (Photo: Sheldon Navie) may occasionally still be seen in cultivation.

Habitat A common weed of untended areas with fertile soils. It is a weed of closed forests, forest margins, urban bushland, waterways (i.e. riparian areas), crops, roadsides, disturbed sites and waste areas.

Distinguishing Features a long-lived scrambling or climbing vine.

its alternately arranged leaves have deeply-lobed margins.

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its mauve or purple star-shaped flowers (2-3 cm climbing habit (Photo: Sheldon Navie) across) are borne in drooping clusters.

its glossy red berries are 8-12 mm across.

Habit A perennial vine with climbing or sprawling stems, often covering fences or shrubs, reaching up to 5 m in height.

Stems and Leaves The stems are green and mostly hairless (i.e. glabrous), however there are often a few sticky (i.e. glandular) hairs on the flowering branches. alternately-arranged leaves (Photo: Sheldon Navie)

The alternately arranged leaves are borne on stalks (i.e. petioles) 0.5-6 cm long. Their leaf blades (4-13 cm long and 3-11 cm wide) are either deeply incised (i.e. pinnatisect), creating 3-9 lobes each up to 3.5-4.5 cm long and 1-2 cm wide, or appear to be once-compound (i.e. pinnate). Both leaf surfaces are green and hairless (i.e. glabrous), except for a few hairs on their margins and along the veins on either surface. The tips of their lobes may be either rounded or pointed (i.e. they have obtuse to acuminate apices).

Flowers and Fruit close-up of deeply-lobed leaf blade (Photo: Sheldon The star-like flowers (2-3 cm across) are arranged Navie) in large branched clusters in the leaf forks (i.e. axils), each cluster containing 10-50 flowers. The main stalk (i.e. peduncle) of these clusters is 1-6 cm long, while each individual flower is borne on a smaller stalk (i.e. pedicel) 8-15 mm long. These flowers have five blue, violet or purple petals that are joined together at the base and have triangular tips (10-15 mm long). They also have five small green sepals (1.5-2.5 mm long), five stamens with yellow anthers (3-4 mm long), and an ovary topped with a style (6.5-8 mm long) and stigma. Flowering occurs mainly during spring and autumn.

The shiny globular berries (8-12 mm across) turn from green to bright red as they mature. They large drooping flower cluster (Photo: Sheldon Navie) contain numerous reddish-brown to black flattened seeds (2-3 mm long).

Reproduction and Dispersal This species reproduces mainly by seed, which are most often dispersed by birds and other animals that eat the fleshy fruit.

Impacts Brazilian nightshade (Solanum seaforthianum) is regarded as an environmental weed in New South Wales and Queensland. flower cluster branches with flower buds and flowers Other Impacts

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The fruit are poisonous to humans. from side-on (Photo: Sheldon Navie)

Similar Species Brazilian nightshade (Solanum seaforthianum) can be confused with bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara), cusmayllo (Solanum radicans) and potato vine (Solanum laxum ). These species can be distinguished by the following differences:

Brazilian nightshade (Solanum seaforthianum) has three to nine-lobed leaves, mauve or purple flowers with petals 10-15 mm long, and relatively large shiny red fruit (8-12 mm across). close-up of star-shaped bluish-purple flowers with bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) yellow stamens (Photo: Sheldon Navie) has three-lobed leaves, mauve or purple flowers with petals 5-8 mm long, and relatively large shiny red fruit (6-10 mm across).

cusmayllo (Solanum radicans) has three-lobed leaves, white flowers with petals 4-5 mm long, and relatively small yellowish-green fruit (4-6 mm across).

potato vine (Solanum laxum ) has entire or three-lobed, white flowers with petals 9-15 mm long, and relatively large dark blue to black fruit (6-9 mm across). cluster of immature fruit (Photo: Sheldon Navie) Note: For a more in-depth key to distinguish between all of the solanums (Solanum spp.) present in eastern Australia, see the online key to the Solanum Species of Eastern Australia at http://delta-intkey.com/solanum/index.htm.

Legislation Not declared or considered noxious by any state government authorities.

Sources Anonymous (2006). Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). http://www.ars- cluster of mature fruit (Photo: Sheldon Navie) grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/index.pl. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, National Genetic Resources Program, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Beltsville, Maryland, USA.

Anonymous (2007). Solanum seaforthianum Andrews. Brazilian nightshade. Plants Profile. http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SOSE7. National Plant Data Center, National Resources Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.

Anonymous (2007). Solanum seaforthianum Andrews, Solanaceae. Pacific Island Ecosystems at close-up of shiny red mature fruit (Photo: Sheldon Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific Ecosystems. http://www.hear.org/pier/species

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/solanum_seaforthianum.htm. Institute of Pacific Navie) Islands Forestry, Hawaii, USA.

Barker, B., Barker, R., Jessop, J. and Vonow, H. (2005). Census of South Australian Vascular Plants. Fifth Edition. The Botanic Gardens of Adelaide and State Herbarium, Government of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia.

Barry, S.J. (2000). Recovery Plan for the Endangered Vascular Plant Species Alectryon ramiflorus Reynolds. Report to Environment Australia. Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane, Queensland.

Batianoff, G.N. and Butler, D.W. (2002). seedling (Photo: Sheldon Navie) Assessment of invasive naturalized plants in south-east Queensland. Plant Protection Quarterly 17: 27-34.

Bean, A.R. (2006). Solanum species of Eastern Australia. http://delta-intkey.com/solanum /www/intro.htm. Queensland Herbarium, Toowong, Queensland.

Bostock, P.D. and Holland, A.E. (2007). Census of the Queensland Flora 2007. Queensland Herbarium, Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane, Queensland.

Conn, B.J. (2007). Solanum seaforthianum Andrews. New South Wales Flora Online. PlantNET - young plant (Photo: Sheldon Navie) The Plant Information Network System of Botanic Gardens Trust. http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au. Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney, New South Wales.

Kleinschmidt, H.E., Holland, A. and Simpson, P. (1996). Suburban Weeds. Third Edition. Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane, Queensland.

Navie, S.C., Markwell, B., Playford, J. and Adkins, S.W. (2002). Suburban and Environmental Weeds: an interactive identification and information system. CD-ROM. The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland.

Spooner, A., Carpenter, J., Smith, G. and Spence, K. (2007). *Solanum seaforthianum Andrews. FloraBase: The Western Australian Flora. http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au. Western Australian Herbarium, Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM), Perth, Western Australia.

Stanley, T.E. and Ross, E.M. (1986). Flora of South-eastern Queensland. Volume 2. Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane, Queensland.

Fact sheets are available from Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) service centres and our Customer Service Centre (telephone 13 25 23). Check our website at www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au to ensure you have the latest version of this fact sheet. The control methods referred to in this fact sheet should be used in accordance with the restrictions (federal and state legislation, and local government laws) directly or indirectly related to each control method. These restrictions may prevent the use of one or more of the methods referred to, depending on individual circumstances. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this information, DEEDI does not invite reliance upon it, nor accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused by actions based on it.

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