Solanum pseudocapsicum

Linn.

Mirchala

SolanaceaeFruitPotential hazards — see below

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What to Eat

Edible parts: Fruit - colouring

The fruit is used as a colouring agent in various dishes.

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. In Pakistan it grows up to 2,200 m altitude. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 2,600 m above sea level.

Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Brazil, Caucasus, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cuba, East Africa, Ecuador, Georgia, Himalayas, India, Iran, Middle East, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, NW India, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, SE Asia, Slovenia, South Africa, South America*, Tasmania, Uruguay, West Indies, Zimbabwe,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Antigua & Barbuda, Armenia, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Bahrain, Burundi, Benin, Brunei, Bolivia, Brazil, Bahamas, Bhutan, Botswana, Congo (DRC), Central African Republic, Congo (Republic), Cote d'Ivoire, Chile, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Cuba, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Algeria, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Grenada, Georgia, French Guiana, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jamaica, Jordan, Japan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, Comoros, St Kitts & Nevis, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, St Lucia, Sri Lanka, Liberia, Lesotho, Libya, Morocco, Madagascar, Mali, Myanmar, Mongolia, Mauritania, Mauritius, Maldives, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Nepal, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Paraguay, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sudan, Singapore, Slovenia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Somalia, Suriname, South Sudan, Sao Tome & Principe, Syria, Eswatini, Chad, Togo, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Trinidad & Tobago, Taiwan, Tanzania, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, St Vincent, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How to Identify

An erect shrub. It grows 90-120 cm tall. The leaves are 4-8 cm long by 1-2 cm wide. They are narrowly oval. There are 1-3 flowers in a group in the axils of leaves. The flowers are white. The fruit is a berry 8-12 mm across. It is scarlet red and shiny. The seeds are 3 mm wide.

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Solanum pseudocapsicum is a nightshade species with mildly poisonous fruit. It is commonly known as the Jerusalem cherry, Madeira winter cherry, or, ambiguously, "winter cherry". These perennials can be grown decoratively as house plants, but in some areas of South Africa, India, Australia and New Zealand it is regarded as a weed.

Notes

It has anticancer properties.

Names & Synonyms

Jerusalem cherry, Madeirski koralni grm, Madeira winter cherry, Pan-ngayok

Many

References (8)

Bussman, R. W., et al, 2021, Unity in diversity—food plants and fungi of Sakartvelo (Republic of Georgia), Caucasus. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2021) 17:72 p 15
Flora of Pakistan. www.eFloras.org
http://www.botanic-gardens-ljubljana.com/en/plants
Kintzios, S. E., 2006, Terrestrial Plant-Derived Anticancer Agents and Plant Species Used in Anticancer research. Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences. 25: pp 79-113
Miguel, E., et al, 1989, A checklist of the cultivated plants of Cuba. Kulturpflanze 37. 1989, 211-357
Ramachandran,V. S., & Udhayavani, C., 2013, Knowledge and uses of wild edible plants by Paniyas and Kurumbas of Western Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu. Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources. 4(4) December 2013, pp 412-418
Rashid, A., Anand, V.K. & Serwar, J., 2008, Less Known Wild Plants Used by the Gujjar Tribe of District Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir State. International Journal of Botany 4(2):219-244
Tasmanian Herbarium Vascular Plants list p 55