Wednesday, July 31, 2019

[Botany • 2019] Dichotomous Keys to the Species of Solanum L. (Solanaceae) in continental Africa, Madagascar (incl. the Indian Ocean islands), Macaronesia and the Cape Verde Islands


Solanum terminale Forssk. (African non-spiny Clade) B Solanum madagascariense Dunal (African non-spiny Clade) C Solanum mauritianum Scop. (Brevantherum Clade) D Solanum laxum Spreng. (Dulcamaroid Clade) E Solanum trisectum Dunal (Normania Clade) F Solanum diphyllum L. (Geminata Clade) 

in Knapp, Vorontsova & Särkinen, 2019. 
 Photos A, C, D, E, F, by S. Knapp B by M.S. Vorontsova.

Abstract
Solanum L. (Solanaceae) is one of the largest genera of angiosperms and presents difficulties in identification due to lack of regional keys to all groups. Here we provide keys to all 135 species of Solanum native and naturalised in Africa (as defined by World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions): continental Africa, Madagascar (incl. the Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius, La Réunion, the Comoros and the Seychelles), Macaronesia and the Cape Verde Islands. Some of these have previously been published in the context of monographic works, but here we include all taxa. The paper is designed to be used in conjunction with the web resource Solanaceae Source (www.solanaceaesource.org) and hyperlinks provide access to online descriptions, synonymy and images (where available) of each species. All taxa treated and specimens seen are included in searchable Suppl. material 1, 2.

Keywords: Africa, Aldabra, Azores, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Comoros, cultivated plants, identification, keys, Madagascar, Madeira, Mauritius, La Réunion, Seychelles, Solanum, weeds

Figure 2. A, B Solanum wendlandii Hook.f. (Allophyllum-Wendlandii Clade) C Solanum tarderemotum Bitter (Morelloid Clade) D Solanum scabrum Mill. (Morelloid Clade) E Solanum pyracanthos Lam. (Leptostemonum Clade) F Solanum aculeastrum Dunal (Leptostemonum Clade) G Solanum nigriviolaceum Bitter (Leptostemonum Clade) H Solanum usambarense Bitter & Dammer (Leptostemonum Clade).
Photos A, B, F, G H by M.S. Vorontosova C, D, E by S. Knapp. 

Figure 3. A Solanum terminale Forssk. (African non-spiny Clade) B Solanum madagascariense Dunal (African non-spiny Clade) C Solanum mauritianum Scop. (Brevantherum Clade) D Solanum laxum Spreng. (Dulcamaroid Clade) E Solanum trisectum Dunal (Normania Clade) F Solanum diphyllum L. (Geminata Clade) G Solanum tuberosum L. (Potato Clade) H Solanum laciniatum Aiton (Archaeosolanum Clade).
 Photos A, C, D, E, F, G, H by S. Knapp B by M.S. Vorontsova.


 Sandra Knapp, Maria S. Vorontsova and Tiina Särkinen. 2019. Dichotomous Keys to the Species of Solanum L. (Solanaceae) in continental Africa, Madagascar (incl. the Indian Ocean islands), Macaronesia and the Cape Verde Islands. PhytoKeys. 127: 39-76. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.127.34326