 Line drawing by M. Szent Ivany, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 4 (1981) 261, fig. 115. |
 From Curtis's Botanical Magazine t. 1928 (1817). |
 Detail from Curtis's Botanical Magazine t. 1928 (1817). |
 Detail from Curtis's Botanical Magazine t. 1928 (1817). |
 Fruit and calyx by D.E. Symon in J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 4 (1981), fig 158N. |
 Distribution map generated from Australia's Virtual Herbarium. For a more up to date map visit the AVH site through your local herbarium. |
Synonymy
* Solanum marginatum L.f., Suppl. 147 (1781)
T: 'Habitat in Abyssinia' n.v.
Description
Sparingly clonal shrub to 1.5 m, dull green to silvery-white, pubescent with minute stellate hairs, the hairs dense on lower leaf-surface, sparse on upper surface except along margins; prickles to 1 cm, scattered on most parts.
Leaves elliptic, the lamina mostly 10-12 cm long, 8-10 cm wide, sometimes larger, discolorous, lobed; lobes sinuate-crenate; petiole 15-25 mm long.
Inflorescence short, 2-10-flowered; lower flowers bisexual, the remainder male; peduncle absent. Bisexual flower: pedicel 20-25 mm long, calyx 9-10 mm long, the lobes narrowly triangular to oblong, unequal, 5-10 mm long; corolla rotate, 30-40 mm diam., white or very pale mauve; anthers 6-7 mm long. Male flower similar but slightly smaller.
Berry globular, 30-40 mm diam., pale or deep yellow. Seeds 2-2.5 mm long, light brown. n=12.
Distribution and ecology
An ornamental plant originally from north-east Africa; sparingly naturalised in Vic., Tas. and S.A. but now included on the list of Declared Plants for Tasmania and W.A.; see Navie, S. (2004). Declared Plants of Australia. (Centre for Biological Information Technology, Brisbane).
Common name
White-edged nightshade, White-margin nightshade
Relationships
Part of the S. incanum group, together with S. linnaeanum, S. stupefactum and S. incanum, of subgen. Leptostemonum according to Bean (2004). However this grouping of species is unlikely to be maintained since S. linnaeanum (Levin et al. 2006) and S. stupefactum (Martine 2006) have been shown by molecular studies to have different alliances.
Molecular studies by T.L.Weese & L.Bohs: Eggplant origins: out of Africa, into the Orient. Taxon 59: 49-56 (2010), confirm the close relationships of S. melongena, S. incanum and S. linnaeanum, but indicate a more distant relationship to S. marginatum.
Notes
A discussion of the status of S. marginatum as a weed may be found in W. T. Parsons & E. G. Cuthbertson, Noxious Weeds of Australia, Inkata Press, Melbourne, 1992.
Further information, together with an excellent selection of images, can also be found in Navie, S. (2004). Declared Plants of Australia. An identification and information system. (Centre for Biological Information Technology, Brisbane).
Derivation of epithet
From marginatus, Latin for margin, presumably a reference to the white margins of the leaves of this species.
Selected specimens
S.A.: Burnside, 9 Apr. 1917, T.G.B. Osborn (AD); Willunga, D.E. Symon 8806 (AD, CANB, NSW). Vic.: Merino district, 1919, W.J. Baker (MEL). Tas.: Domestic garden, Moonah, 4 Apr. 1978, D.I. Morris (HO).
Plant status, if any
Included on the list of Declared Plants for Tasmania and W.A.; see www.weeds.org.au/docs/weednet6.pdf and also Navie, S. (2004). Declared Plants of Australia. (Centre for Biological Information Technology, Brisbane).
From the web
Further information and links can be found on the Weeds in Australia site.
A fact sheet for this species can be downloaded from the SA eFlora site.
Three images of Solanum marginatum showing fruits, flowers and habit can be seen on the CalPhotos website at
Images and information on this species in
There is also an image of the leaves and stems reproduced from Common Weeds of New Zealand on the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture S. linnaeanum page and Biosecurity New Zealand have a fact page with images at http://www.rnzih.org.nz/pages/nppa_095.pdf
Jacquin's image of this species in Icones plantarum rariorum 1 (1781) pl. 45. can be seen at http://www.botanicus.org/page/270413