Solanum cordovense Sessé & Mociño

Solanaceae - Jalapeño Pepper Family
Identification:
– slender treelet without spines
– small lance-elliptic leaves with stellate hairs
– small white flowers with yellow anthers
– round black 1 cm fruit

habit with fruit

 fruit

Description. Treelet, mature at 2-5 m, without spines; petioles to 5 mm; leaves to 4 x 13 cm, lance-elliptic, with soft stellate hairs, membranous; inflorescence with peduncles 1-2 mm, flower with slender pedicels to 15 mm, corolla white, 7 mm long, stamens yellow; infructescence with peduncle to 3 mm, with up to 8 fruit; fruit shiny black, globose, to 10 mm, pedicel 15 mm; seed 2 x 3 mm, 3-8 seeds/fruit.

Similar species. The sympatric Solanum umbellatum also grows in disturbed areas and has pubescent leaves, but they are much larger and the inflorescences stand erect above the leaves.

Local distribution. On Pacific slope at 1300-1500 m.

Habitat. Old pastures, forest edge, stream margins within forest, and secondary forest.

Species range. Mexico to Colombia.

Abundance. Common

Phenology. Flower: may-jun+; Fruit: jul+.

Herbivores. Dircenna olyras

Pollinators. Bees

Seed dispersers. Birds

Comments. Solanum extensum Bitt. is considered a synonym.

Voucher No. Haber 1080
Plant intro
Images and text copyright © 2001-2006 by William A. Haber, http://efg.cs.umb.edu/
Created: 15 May 2001. Updated: 11 December 2006.