Taxon:  Solanum viarum Dunal



Summary
Genus:
Solanum
Subgenus:
Leptostemonum
Section:
Acanthophora
Family:
Solanaceae
Subfamily:
Solanoideae
Tribe:
Solaneae
Nomen number:
317433
Place of publication:
A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 13(1):240.  1852
Verified:
11/29/2010 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
4 (4  active, 3  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Solanum ambrosiacum Vell.
Solanum khasianum C. B. Clarke var. chatterjeeanum Sengupta

No images


Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
  2. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  3. Babu, C. R. & F. N. Hepper. 1979. Taxonomy and nomenclature of Solanum khasianum and some of its relatives. Kew Bull. 34:409.
  4. Babu, C. R. 1971. The identity of Solanum khasianum Cl. var. chatterjeeanum Sen Gupta (Solanaceae). J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 67:610.
  5. Bryson, C. T. & J. D. Byrd, Jr. 1994. Solanum viarum (Solanaceae), new to Mississippi. Sida 16:382.
  6. Bryson, C. T. & J. D. Byrd, Jr. 2007. Biology, reproductive potential, and winter survival of tropical soda apple (Solanum viarum). Weed Technol. 21:791-795.
  7. Bryson, C. T. et al. 2012. Growth, development, and morphological differences among native and nonnative prickly nightshades (Solanum spp.) of the southeastern United States. Invasive Pl. Sci. Managm. 5:341-352. Note: cited as Federal noxious weed
  8. Coile, N. 1993. Tropical soda apple, Solanum viarum Dunal: the plant from hell. Bot. Circ. Div. Pl. Industr. Florida 27:1-4.
  9. Conant, P. et al. 1997. Appendix. Selected plant species interfering with resource management goals in North American natural areas. In: Luken, J. O. & J. W. Thieret, eds., Assessment and management of plant invasions. 255-267.
  10. Deb, D. B. 1979. Solanaceae in India. In: Hawkes, J. G. et al., eds., The biology and taxonomy of the Solanacae 105.
  11. Freire de Varvalho, L. d'A. 1997. Diversidade taxonômica das Solanáceas no estado do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) – II - Lycianthes e Solanum. Albertoa 4:300.
  12. Hosking, J. R. 2010. pers. comm. via e-mail on 31 Aug Note: re. occurrence in Australia
  13. Kammathy. R. V. et al. 1974. Pharmacognostic studies on the genus Solanun Linn. I. Bull. Bot. Surv. India 13:224.
  14. Levin, R. A. et al. 2006. Phylogenetic relationships among the "spiny solanums" Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum, Solanaceae). Amer. J. Bot. 93:157-169.
  15. Miller, L. M. F. & M. E. Davies. 1979. The characteristics of solasodine accumulation in Solanum khasianum C. B. Clarke var. chatterjeeanum Sengupta and S. laciniatum Ait. grown under field conditions in Birmingham. In: Hawkes, J. G. et al., eds., The biology and taxonomy of the Solanacae 231.
  16. Mullahey, J. J. 1996. Tropical soda apple (Solanum viarum Dunal), a biological pollutant threatening Florida. Castanea 61:255-260.
  17. Nee, M. 1991. Synopsis of Solanum section Acanthophora: a group of interest for glycoalkaloids. In: Hawkes, J. G. et al., eds., Solanaceae III: taxonomy, chemistry, evolution 17, 264.
  18. Nee, M. 1999. Synopsis of Solanum in the New World. In: Nee, M. et al., eds., Solanaceae IV: advances in biology and utilization 328.
  19. Pandey, S. et al. 2020. Assessment of direct shoot organogenesis and genetic fidelity in Solanum viarum Dunal—a commercially important medicinal plant. In Vitro Cell. Developmental Biol., Plant 56:538-547. DOI: 10.1007/s11627-020-10073-0.
  20. PBI Solanum Project. Solanaceae source: a global taxonomic resource for the nightshade family (on-line resource).
  21. Plant Protection and Quarantine Office. United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Federal noxious weed list (on-line resource).
  22. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
  23. Reed, M. D. et al. 2004. Solanum viarum (Solanaceae) - tropical soda-apple - confirmed from Texas. Sida 21:1171-1174.
  24. Reitz, R., ed. 1965-. Flora ilustrada catarinense.
  25. USDA National Agricultural Library. National Invasive Species Information Center (on-line resource).
  26. Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
  27. Welman, W. G. 2003. The genus Solanum (Solanaceae) in southern Africa: subgenus Leptostemonum, the introduced sections Acanthophora and Torva. Bothalia 33:10-11.
  28. Whalen, M. D. 1984. Conspectus of species groups in Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum. Gentes Herbarum 12:253.
  29. Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
  30. Wunderlin, R. P. et al. 1993. Solanum viarum and S. tampicense (Solanaceae): two weedy species new to Florida and the United States. Sida 15:605-611.
  31. Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74. Note: = Solanum reflexum Schrank
  32. 2018. Mid-Atlantic invasive plant species (on-line resource)
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishtropical soda-apple  1Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilAcre Freire de Varvalho, L. d'A. 1997. Diversidade taxonômica das Solanáceas no estado do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) – II - Lycianthes e Solanum. Albertoa 4:300.
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilAmazonas Freire de Varvalho, L. d'A. 1997. Diversidade taxonômica das Solanáceas no estado do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) – II - Lycianthes e Solanum. Albertoa 4:300.
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilDistrito Federal Freire de Varvalho, L. d'A. 1997. Diversidade taxonômica das Solanáceas no estado do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) – II - Lycianthes e Solanum. Albertoa 4:300.
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilEspírito Santo Freire de Varvalho, L. d'A. 1997. Diversidade taxonômica das Solanáceas no estado do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) – II - Lycianthes e Solanum. Albertoa 4:300.
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilGoiás Freire de Varvalho, L. d'A. 1997. Diversidade taxonômica das Solanáceas no estado do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) – II - Lycianthes e Solanum. Albertoa 4:300.
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilMinas Gerais Freire de Varvalho, L. d'A. 1997. Diversidade taxonômica das Solanáceas no estado do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) – II - Lycianthes e Solanum. Albertoa 4:300.
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilPará Freire de Varvalho, L. d'A. 1997. Diversidade taxonômica das Solanáceas no estado do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) – II - Lycianthes e Solanum. Albertoa 4:300.
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilParaná Freire de Varvalho, L. d'A. 1997. Diversidade taxonômica das Solanáceas no estado do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) – II - Lycianthes e Solanum. Albertoa 4:300.
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilRio de Janeiro Freire de Varvalho, L. d'A. 1997. Diversidade taxonômica das Solanáceas no estado do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) – II - Lycianthes e Solanum. Albertoa 4:300.
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilRio Grande do Sul Nee, M. 1999. Synopsis of Solanum in the New World. In: Nee, M. et al., eds., Solanaceae IV: advances in biology and utilization 328.
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilRondônia Freire de Varvalho, L. d'A. 1997. Diversidade taxonômica das Solanáceas no estado do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) – II - Lycianthes e Solanum. Albertoa 4:300.
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilSanta Catarina Freire de Varvalho, L. d'A. 1997. Diversidade taxonômica das Solanáceas no estado do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) – II - Lycianthes e Solanum. Albertoa 4:300.
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilSão Paulo Freire de Varvalho, L. d'A. 1997. Diversidade taxonômica das Solanáceas no estado do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) – II - Lycianthes e Solanum. Albertoa 4:300.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaChaco Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74. Note: = Solanum reflexum Schrank
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaCorrientes Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74. Note: = Solanum reflexum Schrank
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaEntre Ríos Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74. Note: = Solanum reflexum Schrank
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaFormosa Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74. Note: = Solanum reflexum Schrank
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaMisiones Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74. Note: = Solanum reflexum Schrank
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaSanta Fe PBI Solanum Project. Solanaceae source: a global taxonomic resource for the nightshade family (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaParaguay  Nee, M. 1999. Synopsis of Solanum in the New World. In: Nee, M. et al., eds., Solanaceae IV: advances in biology and utilization 328.
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaUruguay  Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74. Note: = Solanum reflexum Schrank
4NaturalizedAfrica Africa  Nee, M. 1999. Synopsis of Solanum in the New World. In: Nee, M. et al., eds., Solanaceae IV: advances in biology and utilization 328.
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateChinaChinaXizang Zizhiqu Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateChinaChinaYunnan Sheng Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndia  Nee, M. 1999. Synopsis of Solanum in the New World. In: Nee, M. et al., eds., Solanaceae IV: advances in biology and utilization 328.
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentNepal  Nee, M. 1999. Synopsis of Solanum in the New World. In: Nee, M. et al., eds., Solanaceae IV: advances in biology and utilization 328.
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaMyanmar  PBI Solanum Project. Solanaceae source: a global taxonomic resource for the nightshade family (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaNew South Wales Hosking, J. R. 2010. pers. comm. via e-mail on 31 Aug Note: re. occurrence in Australia
4NaturalizedNorthern America Mexico  Bryson, C. T. & J. D. Byrd, Jr. 2007. Biology, reproductive potential, and winter survival of tropical soda apple (Solanum viarum). Weed Technol. 21:791-795.
4NaturalizedNorthern America United States s.e.Nee, M. 1999. Synopsis of Solanum in the New World. In: Nee, M. et al., eds., Solanaceae IV: advances in biology and utilization 328.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanWest Indies  Bryson, C. T. & J. D. Byrd, Jr. 2007. Biology, reproductive potential, and winter survival of tropical soda apple (Solanum viarum). Weed Technol. 21:791-795.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaHonduras  Bryson, C. T. & J. D. Byrd, Jr. 2007. Biology, reproductive potential, and winter survival of tropical soda apple (Solanum viarum). Weed Technol. 21:791-795.
Native
Southern America
  • BRAZIL: Brazil [Acre, Amazonas, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Rondônia, Distrito Federal]
  • SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina [Chaco, Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Formosa, Misiones, Santa Fe], Paraguay, Uruguay
Naturalized
Africa
  • REGION: Africa
Asia-Temperate
  • CHINA: China [Xizang Zizhiqu, Yunnan Sheng]
Asia-Tropical
  • INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India, Nepal
  • INDO-CHINA: Myanmar
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia [New South Wales]
Northern America
  • REGION: Mexico, United States (s.e.)
Southern America
  • CARIBBEAN: West Indies
  • CENTRAL AMERICA: Honduras

Reference(s)
  1. Bryson, C. T. & J. D. Byrd, Jr. 2007. Biology, reproductive potential, and winter survival of tropical soda apple (Solanum viarum). Weed Technol. 21:791-795.
  2. Freire de Varvalho, L. d'A. 1997. Diversidade taxonômica das Solanáceas no estado do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) – II - Lycianthes e Solanum. Albertoa 4:300.
  3. Hosking, J. R. 2010. pers. comm. via e-mail on 31 Aug Note: re. occurrence in Australia
  4. Nee, M. 1999. Synopsis of Solanum in the New World. In: Nee, M. et al., eds., Solanaceae IV: advances in biology and utilization 328.
  5. PBI Solanum Project. Solanaceae source: a global taxonomic resource for the nightshade family (on-line resource).
  6. Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
  7. Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74. Note: = Solanum reflexum Schrank
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Medicinesfolklore Pandey, S. et al. 2020. Assessment of direct shoot organogenesis and genetic fidelity in Solanum viarum Dunal—a commercially important medicinal plant. In Vitro Cell. Developmental Biol., Plant 56:538-547. DOI: 10.1007/s11627-020-10073-0.
Medicinessource of pharmaceutical agentcommercial source of steroidal alkaloids and glycoalkaloidsPandey, S. et al. 2020. Assessment of direct shoot organogenesis and genetic fidelity in Solanum viarum Dunal—a commercially important medicinal plant. In Vitro Cell. Developmental Biol., Plant 56:538-547. DOI: 10.1007/s11627-020-10073-0.
Medicinessource of pharmaceutical agentsolasodineNee, M. 1991. Synopsis of Solanum section Acanthophora: a group of interest for glycoalkaloids. In: Hawkes, J. G. et al., eds., Solanaceae III: taxonomy, chemistry, evolution 17, 264.
Medicinessource of pharmaceutical agentsolasodine used to produce steroidal hormonesKammathy. R. V. et al. 1974. Pharmacognostic studies on the genus Solanun Linn. I. Bull. Bot. Surv. India 13:224.
Weed  Wunderlin, R. P. et al. 1993. Solanum viarum and S. tampicense (Solanaceae): two weedy species new to Florida and the United States. Sida 15:605-611.
Weed  Mullahey, J. J. 1996. Tropical soda apple (Solanum viarum Dunal), a biological pollutant threatening Florida. Castanea 61:255-260.
Weed  Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Weed  Bryson, C. T. et al. 2012. Growth, development, and morphological differences among native and nonnative prickly nightshades (Solanum spp.) of the southeastern United States. Invasive Pl. Sci. Managm. 5:341-352. Note: cited as Federal noxious weed
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=317433. Accessed 15 April 2026.