Solanum opacum

Solanum opacum, the green berry nightshade, or morelle verte is a sprawling annual native to eastern Australia. It is part of the black nightshade group of Solanum species.

Description

A sprawling annual herb, minutely hairy, and with no prickles. The leaves are ovate to lanceolate, 3–6 cm long and 1–2 cm wide, usually with shallowly lobed margins. Both leaf surfaces are green and sparsely hairy. The petiole is 1–4 cm long. Inflorescences 2–5-flowered with a white stellate corolla 8–12 mm diameter. The berry is 8–10 mm diam., and green when mature.^[1]

Plant Chemistry

An unidentified alkaloidal aglycone (0.4%) has been detected in the fruits of S.opacum, but none in the leaves or stems.^[2]

Food

Uncommonly cultivated as a "rare" fruit. The ripe berries are eaten when yellowish green, and the flavor is described as spicy-sweet.^[3]

References