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12(1): Medicinal and poisonous plants 1

Solanum erianthum D. Don

This article should be read together with the article on the genus: Solanum in the Handbook volume indicated above in this database.

Prodr. fl. nepal. 96 (1825).

Solanum mauritianum Blanco (1837) non Scop., Solanum verbascifolium auct. non L.

Potato tree, tobacco tree, tropillo (En). Indonesia: daun salawar, tembako utan (Malay, Moluccas), teter (Javanese, Sundanese). Malaysia: daun telinga kerbau, terong belah, terong raya (Peninsular). Papua New Guinea: kumboomba (Lesu, New Ireland), epiap (Gunantuna, New Britain). Philippines: malatalong (Tagalog), liuangkag (Bukidnon), ungali (Bisaya). Laos: sang mong peng, sang mou. Thailand: dap yaang (central), faa paeng (northern), khaa taai (peninsular). Vietnam: c[af] h[oo]i, c[aa]y la, la r[uwf]ng.

Originally from the West Indies, Central America and Mexico, but now an almost pantropical weed, although hardly penetrating South America. Probably introduced into the Philippines by the Spanish in the 16th Century, from where it has spread throughout the Malesian archipelago and to mainland Asia and Australia.

The leaves act as an abortifacient and are considered a potent medicine for expelling all impurities through the urine, and in particular to treat leucorrhoea. Pounded leaves are poulticed to treat piles, haemorrhoids and scrofula. Heated leaves are applied as a cream to the forehead against headache. A decoction of the leaves is drunk against vertigo; an infusion of the plant is used for a bath after childbirth. A decoction from the roots is applied to treat violent pains all over the body or to relieve digestive troubles; it is also given to treat dysentery, diarrhoea and fever. In Papua New Guinea, the plant is used internally to treat stomach-ache and is applied externally to skin irritations and rashes. In the Solomon Islands, leaf juice is used as a rinse for sores in the mouth. Solanum erianthum is considered poisonous to livestock. The root bark is poisonous and can be used as an antiphlogistic and against arthritis. The fruits can be eaten when cooked. In the Philippines, the velvety leaves are used to remove grease from dishes. Solanum erianthum is considered suitable as a shade plant for coffee.

An unarmed shrub or small tree up to 4(-10) m tall with a dense indumentum of soft stellate hairs, stem up to 20 cm in diameter; leaves simple, ovate-elliptical, (7-)10-20(-29) cm x 3.5-15 cm, margin entire or slightly wavy, base rounded to cuneate, apex acute to acuminate; inflorescence appearing terminal, a compound cyme; calyx campanulate, 5 mm long, lobes ovate, corolla stellate, about 1.5 cm in diameter, white, anthers oblong, about 2 mm long, opening with apical pores, ovary densely pubescent, style 4-6 mm long, glabrous; fruit globose, 8-12 mm in diameter, pubescent, dull yellow when ripe; seeds many, compressed, 1-2 mm in diameter. Solanum erianthum is fairly common, occurring scattered in sunny or slightly shaded places, in brushwood, roadsides, field edges, on waste ground and in forest edges, up to 1500 m altitude.

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M.M. Blomqvist & Nguyen Tien Ban

Blomqvist, M.M. & Nguyen Tien Ban, 1999. Solanum erianthum D. Don. In: de Padua, L.S., Bunyapraphatsara, N. and Lemmens, R.H.M.J. (Editors): Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 12(1): Medicinal and poisonous plants 1. PROSEA Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. Database record: prota4u.org/prosea