Solanum persicifolium Dunal

• Authority

  Britton, Nathaniel L. Flora Borinqueña.

• Family

  Solanaceae

• Scientific Name

  Solanum persicifolium Dunal

• Description

  Species Description - A stellate-velvety shrub, restricted to regions of dry climate, in Porto Rico inhabiting coastal thickets and hillsides near the southern and eastern coasts, at low elevations, growing also on the small islands Vieques, Culebra and Cayo Icacos; it ranges eastward throughout the Virgin Islands, and has been recorded from Hispaniola. While most plentiful along the coasts, the plant does not appear to be restricted to saline influence. The rather large, blue, violet, or rarely white flowers are attractive, but this shrub is often so prickly as to make them difficult to pick. For description of the genus Solanum we refer to our account of Solanum Seaforthianum. Solanum persicifolium (leaves resembling those of a peach-tree) is a shrub attaining maximum height of about 2 meters, prickly, or sometimes unarmed, the prickles from 5 to 12 millimeters long. The oblong, untoothed, pointed, short-stalked leaves are from 5 to 12 centimeters long. The flowers are several or many together in rather long, lateral clusters, the individual ones on upwardly thickened stalks about 10 millimeters long, reflexed in fruit; the calyx is about 1.5 millimeters long, with pointed lobes; the corolla is from 15 to 20 millimeters broad, the slender anthers 6 to 8 millimeters long. The red, smooth, globose berries are about 5 millimeters in diameter.

• Discussion

  Berengena de playa Coastal Solanum Potato Family Solanum persicifolium Dunal, Histoire des Solanum 185. 1813.