Solanum, with approximately 1,500 species, is the largest genus in the Solanaceae and includes economically important species such as the tomato, potato, and eggplant. In part due to its large size and tropical center of diversity, resolving evolutionary relationships across Solanum as a whole has been challenging. In order to identify major clades within Solanum and to gain insight into phylog...

A data set derived from gene sequences of ndhF is used to deduce phylogenetic relationships among the subgenera of Solanum, among related genera of the tribe Solaneae, and within selected Solanum clades. Complete ndhF sequences were obtained for 12 species of Solanum, representing five of the seven subgenera. ndhF sequences also were obtained from species of Capsicum, Cyphomandra, Datura, Jalto...

Solanum mauritianum Scopoli and Solanum sisymbriifolium Lamarck are major exotic weeds in South Africa, while Solanum viarum Dunal is similarly problematic in the United States of America. All three species are native to northeastern Argentina and southeastern Paraguay, where they were surveyed for natural enemies in February 1998. Insect agents for Solanum weeds have a tendency to extend their...

We investigated the anti-tumour effect of polysaccharides from Solanum nigrum Linne, and its relationship with the immune function of tumour-bearing organisms. MTT assay was used to observe the effect of different doses of polysaccharides from Solanum nigrum Linne on proliferation of lymphocytes in tumour-bearing mice. ELISA assay was also used to detect the levels of IL-2 in mice, and a laser ...

Wild potato contains about 100 species that are native to the Americas from the southwestern United States to central Chile and adjacent Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and southern Brazil. We report the occurrence of naturalized populations of the wild potato Solanum chacoense in seven sites in southern Australia, eastern China, England, New Zealand, the eastern United States, central Peru, and ...

The silver-leaf nightshade nenmtode, Nothanguina phyllobia, is a promising biological control agent for its only reported host, Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav. When infective larvae of N. phyllobia and stem tissue of 39 econmnically important plant species were suspended in 0.5% water agar, nematodes aggregated about S. elaeagnifolium, Solanum carolinense L., Solanum melongena L., Solanum tuberosum...

Taxonomic revision of the tropical Asian species of Solanum revealed two names, Solanum poka Dunal and Solanum graciliflorum Dunal, whose identities were uncertain and whose application has always been tentative. Material collected in Java at the beginning of the 19th century by Jean-Baptiste Leschenault de la Tour and used to describe these taxa has not been found, despite extensive searches i...

Solanum umalilaense Manoko sp. nov. (Solanaceae) is described from the Umalila area, in the southern highlands of Tanzania. Its novelty is supported with both morphological and AFLP data. Phenetic and phylogenetic analyses place Solanum umalilaense as a unique and well-supported taxon among tetraploid species of Solanum sect. Solanum from Africa. It can be distinguished from other African speci...

A new species of dioecious Solanum from the Australian "Dioicum Complex" of Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum is described. Solanum cowiei Martine sp. nov., is allied with other members of this problematic lineage, but differs in its slender leaves, limited armature and diminutive habit. The species was first segregated by botanists at the Northern Territory Herbarium as Solanum sp. Litchfield (I....

Comparison of natural plant and callus extracts of Solanum trilobatum L. was studied against two bacteria and fungi, for their antimicrobial activity using cup diffusion method. Various solvents such as chloroform, petroleum ether and ethanol were used. The leaf and stem segments of the plant were culturedon Murashige and S koog basal medium supplemented with various growth regulators. Maximum ...