Solanum diphyllum L.

 

Family – Solanaceae

Synonym – Pseudocapsicum diphyllum (L.) Medik. 

Vernacular names – Two leaf Nightshade

Habit – Herb

Habitat – Grown as medicinal plant

Distribution – Native of Central America

Flowering and Fruiting –  January-June

Key Identification Features – This subshrub has elliptic to oblong leaves, white flowers, and orange-yellow fruits. The leaves are unequally paired, with a rounded apex and attenuated base. The corolla has five glabrous lobes, and the fruit contains yellow or tan reniform-discoid seeds.

Uses – It is cultivated for its ornamental foliage and bright yellow fruits. It has medicinal uses in Mexico but contains toxic alkaloids, so caution is advised.