Solanum verrucosum

Schltdl.

Papa morada

SolanaceaeRootsPotential hazards — see below

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What to Eat

Edible parts: Tubers, Root

The tubers are cooked and eaten as food.

Known Hazards

Although providing many well-known foods for people, including the potato, tomato, pepper and aubergine, most species in this genus also contain toxic alkaloids. Whilst these alkaloids can make the plant useful in treaing a range of medical conditions, they can also cause problems such as nausea, vomiting, salivation, drowsiness, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, weakness and respiratory depression. Unless there are specific entries with information on edible uses, it would be unwise to ingest any part of this plant.

Where to Find It

A tropical plant. It grows between 2,100-3,500 m above sea level.

Central America, Mexico, North America,

Countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Trinidad & Tobago, United States, St Vincent

How to Identify

A herbaceous tuber-forming plant in the Solanaceae family, native to tropical highlands between 2,100-3,500 m altitude.

How to Grow

This species is very similar to some populations of Solanum stoloniferum and Solanum demissum.

Propagation: Seed - sow in trays in a nursery. Prick out the seedlings into a fairly rich compost as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on fast. Plant them out when 10cm or more tall. Division of the tubers when the plant is dormant

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Solanum verrucosum is a species of wild potato in the family Solanaceae, native to Mexico. It is typically found in cloud forests at 2,100–3,500 m (6,900–11,500 ft) above sea level. Its tubers are small and late to develop, but said to be quite tasty. A diploid, it is being extensively studied for its resistance to Phytophthora infestans (the cause of late potato blight), and Potato leafroll virus, in an effort to improve the domestic potato Solanum tuberosum.

Names & Synonyms

Solanum macropilosum CorrellSolanum squamulosum M. Martens & Galeotti

References (6)

Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 238
Ind. sem. hort. hal. 1839:10. 1839
Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 827
Lim, T. K., 2015, Edible Medicinal and Non Medicinal Plants. Volume 9, Modified Stems, Roots, Bulbs. Springer p 78
Piedra-Malagón, E. M., et al, 2022, Edible native plants of the Gulf of Mexico Province. Biodiversity Data Journal 10: e80565 p 31
Reis, S. V. and Lipp, F. L., 1982, New Plant Sources for Drugs and Foods from the New York Botanical Garden herbarium. Harvard. p 271