Solanum mauritianum Scop.

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Photo: Petra Ballings
Jevington Rd, Vumba

Photo: Mark Hyde
Hatcliffe South Extension

Photo: Mark Hyde
Churchill Avenue, opposite Falmouth Road, Harare

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Synonyms:
Common names:	Bug tree (English) Bugweed (English)
Description:	Fast-growing, foetid, densely stellate-tomentose, unarmed, shrub or small tree to 4 m. Prominent leafy false stipules usually present at base of petiole. Leaves: petiole (2-)4-5 cm; lamina 15-30(-40) × 6-11(-20) cm, ovate to elliptic, entire, acuminate. Cymes pedunculate, many-flowered, flat-topped, terminal. Calyx 5-6 mm; lobes broadly elliptic. Corolla 1.6-2 cm across, stellate to pentagonal, violet-blue. Anthers 2.6-3 mm, pale yellow. Berry c.1.5 cm, spherical, dull yellow.
Notes:	An early coloniser of cleared areas in the Vumba; however, it is eventually shaded out by the redeveloping forest.In leaf, it is superficially similar to Vernonia myriantha. See that species for information on how to separate them.
Derivation of specific name:	mauritianum: from Mauritius although this species is not indigenous to Mauritius.
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Origin uncertain, possibly South American or Asian, now well naturalised throughout the tropics and in some temperate countries as well
Growth form(s):	Tree, shrub over 2 m.
Insects associated with this species:	Coeliades forestan forestan (Food plant)
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Image last updated:	Saturday 23 September 2006
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 870. (Includes a picture). Gonçalves, A.E. (2005). Solanaceae Flora Zambesiaca 8(4) Pages 86 - 88. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 80.

Other sources of information about Solanum mauritianum:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Solanum mauritianum
Flora of Caprivi: Solanum mauritianum
Flora of Malawi: Solanum mauritianum
Flora of Mozambique: Solanum mauritianum
Flora of Zambia: Solanum mauritianum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Solanum mauritianum

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Solanum mauritianum
African Plant Database: Solanum mauritianum
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Solanum mauritianum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Solanum mauritianum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Solanum mauritianum
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Solanum mauritianum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Solanum mauritianum
JSTOR Plant Science: Solanum mauritianum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Solanum mauritianum
Plants of the World Online: Solanum mauritianum
Tropicos: Solanum mauritianum
Wikipedia: Solanum mauritianum