Children's tomato
Solanum anomalum

Family: Solanaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It may or may not have thorns. It grows 2-5 m high. The young branches and leaves have a hairy covering. The fruit are round and about 2 cm across. They are yellow-brown.

There are about 1400 Solanum species.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in lowland forests in West Africa. It is often in drier parts of the forest zone. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, West Africa

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten in soups and sauces as a condiment. They can also be dried, preserved or fermented. The leaves are not often eaten.

It is cultivated as a food plant. It is a minor vegetable.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Nsusoa, Nsusua twi

Synonyms

Solanum lescrauwaetii De Willd.; Solanum warneckianum Dammer; Solanum pauperum Wright; Solanum mannii Wright var. compactum C. H. Wright;