Solanum incanum is a species of nightshade, a flowering plant in the family Solanaceae. It is native to Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, eastwards to India. The species was introduced to Taiwan and Vietnam.[3]
Common names include thorn apple, bitter apple,[1] bitterball [4] and bitter tomato [5][6] It may be confused with the similar S. linnaeanum where their ranges overlap in Africa. In ancient India, Solanum incanum was domesticated into the eggplant, Solanum melongena.[7][8][9] In biblical literature, it is sometimes used as a "hedge of thorns" (Hebrew: מְשֻׂכַת חָדֶק).[10]
Solanum incanum is a species of nightshade, a flowering plant in the family Solanaceae. It is native to Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, eastwards to India. The species was introduced to Taiwan and Vietnam.
Common names include thorn apple, bitter apple, bitterball and bitter tomato It may be confused with the similar S. linnaeanum where their ranges overlap in Africa. In ancient India, Solanum incanum was domesticated into the eggplant, Solanum melongena. In biblical literature, it is sometimes used as a "hedge of thorns" (Hebrew: מְשֻׂכַת חָדֶק).