787

Solanum violaceum Ortega

Synonym	:	Solanum chinense Dunal
Family	:	Solanaceae
Local name	:	English - Poison berry, Indian nightshade Malayalam - Puthirichunda
Flowering and fruiting period	:	August-December
Distribution	:	Indo-Malesia
Distribution in Kerala	:	All Districts
Habitat	:	Evergreen, semi-evergreen and dry deciduous forests, also in the plains
Uses	:	The plant possess antinociceptive, antipyretic, wound healing, anthelmintic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and cytotoxicity.
Key Botanical Characters:  Armed undershrubs, branches minutely stellate-hairy on young parts, glabrate when mature. Leaves ovate or ovate-oblong, sinuately to deeply lobed, apex subacute, base rounded or unequal. Flowers bluish-violet in extra-axillary racemes; peduncle 4 cm long; pedicel to 8 mm long. Calyx copular, lobes 5, triangular, prickly. Corolla campanulate. Stamens 5; anthers 5 mm long. Ovary globose; stigma acute. Berry globose, orange yellow when ripe.