Forest bitterberry, Madagascar potato
Solanum anguivi

Family: Solanaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It grows 1 m high. It has irregular branches. They are slightly woody. There are short prickles on the stems and leaf veins. The leaves are oval and some deep triangle shaped lobes on each side. The leaves are 15 cm long by 10 cm wide. The flowers are in compact groups of 12 small flowers. They are mauve or white. The fruit are small orange or red berries. They are 1 cm across.

It is used for flavouring and medicine. There are about 1400 Solanum species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in relatively humid locations.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Arabia, Asia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Laos, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Middle East, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten as a vegetable. They can be cooked and sun dried and then stored for later use in soups. They are used unripe. The ripe fruit can be eaten raw. They are also fried. The green fruit are salted, dried, roasted in oil and eaten.

Fruit are sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Fruit, vegetable, leaves

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seeds. Seedlings emerge in about a week. A spacing of about 1 m is suitable.

Flowering starts 2-3 months after seed germination. Fruit are ready 2-3 weeks after fruit set. Plants can keep producing for up to one year. Often fruit are collected at the end of the rainy season and early in the dry season.

Its other names

Local names

Bekuri teeta, Chunda, Duro, Hepi keho, Kattuthudhuvalai, Katukuma, Katunkuma, Kharangeh, Limka, Mothiringani, Mselekete, Njujui, Ntunfululu, Obuhuruhuru, Ranavangi, Ranvangi, Samtawk-te, Songwa, Twak-te-aka

Synonyms

Solanum indicum subsp. distichum (Thonn.) Bitter; Solanum indicum var. lividum (Link.) Bitter; Solanum lividum Link; Solanum scalare C. H. Wright; ?