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#1
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What is plant with miniature potatoe flowers/berries
I've found a plant that is very small and has flowers that are basically
miniature potatoe flowers, white on outside and orange/yellow in middle It porduces berries that look like miniature tomatoes (about the size of rowan berries) but turn dark purple/black The leaveas are not unlike potatoes/tomatoes but the plant grows not more than about 6inches hight Anyone know what it is and is it poisonous? |
#2
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What is plant with miniature potatoe flowers/berries
"paul" wrote:
I've found a plant that is very small and has flowers that are basically miniature potatoe flowers, white on outside and orange/yellow in middle It porduces berries that look like miniature tomatoes (about the size of rowan berries) but turn dark purple/black The leaveas are not unlike potatoes/tomatoes but the plant grows not more than about 6inches hight Anyone know what it is and is it poisonous? You say potato and I say tomato .... let's call the whole thing ... ? -- William Tasso - The road to hell is littered with fallen webmasters. http://www.tbdata.com/ |
#3
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What is plant with miniature potatoe flowers/berries
"William Tasso" wrote in message ... "paul" wrote: I've found a plant that is very small and has flowers that are basically miniature potatoe flowers, white on outside and orange/yellow in middle It porduces berries that look like miniature tomatoes (about the size of rowan berries) but turn dark purple/black The leaveas are not unlike potatoes/tomatoes but the plant grows not more than about 6inches hight Anyone know what it is and is it poisonous? You say potato and I say tomato .... let's call the whole thing ... ? -- William Tasso - The road to hell is littered with fallen webmasters. http://www.tbdata.com/ Potmato or Tompato ?? L |
#4
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What is plant with miniature potatoe flowers/berries
In article , paul
writes I've found a plant that is very small and has flowers that are basically miniature potatoe flowers, white on outside and orange/yellow in middle It porduces berries that look like miniature tomatoes (about the size of rowan berries) but turn dark purple/black The leaveas are not unlike potatoes/tomatoes but the plant grows not more than about 6inches hight Anyone know what it is and is it poisonous? Perhaps Black Nightshade, _Solanum nigrum_. All parts are poisonous, potentially lethally so, especially the berries. -- Stewart Robert Hinsley |
#5
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What is plant with miniature potatoe flowers/berries
In article ,
William Tasso wrote: "paul" wrote: I've found a plant that is very small and has flowers that are basically miniature potatoe flowers, white on outside and orange/yellow in middle It porduces berries that look like miniature tomatoes (about the size of rowan berries) but turn dark purple/black The leaveas are not unlike potatoes/tomatoes but the plant grows not more than about 6inches hight Anyone know what it is and is it poisonous? You say potato and I say tomato .... let's call the whole thing ... ? And I say black nightshade :-) Apparently, in New Zealand, they make jam from black nightshade. As I have no good evidence that it is the same species, and the Solanaceae's berries vary from the edible to the lethal, I am not going to experiment. I am happy to take risks, of the sort where I will merely regret my actions for a day or so, but this is a different class of risk. If you eat a kilo of green tomatoes, you may get bellyache; if you eat 100 grams of potato fruit, that would be the least (and last) of your problems. If anyone has DEFINITE and RELIABLE evidence that Solanum nigrum has edible berries, I should be interested to hear. Regards, Nick Maclaren, University of Cambridge Computing Service, New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England. Email: Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679 |
#6
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What is plant with miniature potatoe flowers/berries
In article , paul
writes I've found a plant that is very small and has flowers that are basically miniature potatoe flowers, white on outside and orange/yellow in middle It porduces berries that look like miniature tomatoes (about the size of rowan berries) but turn dark purple/black The leaveas are not unlike potatoes/tomatoes but the plant grows not more than about 6inches hight Anyone know what it is and is it poisonous? Could be black nightshade - a relative of potato and tomato (and also of belladonna, deadly nightshade, thornapple, sweet pepper and aubergine) Mots of the plant is poisonous, the berries may not be, but I wouldn't experiment with any member of that family. -- Kay Easton Edward's earthworm page: http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/garden/ |
#7
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What is plant with miniature potatoe flowers/berries
In article , Nick Maclaren
writes And I say black nightshade :-) Apparently, in New Zealand, they make jam from black nightshade. As I have no good evidence that it is the same species, and the Solanaceae's berries vary from the edible to the lethal, I am not going to experiment. I am happy to take risks, of the sort where I will merely regret my actions for a day or so, but this is a different class of risk. If you eat a kilo of green tomatoes, you may get bellyache; if you eat 100 grams of potato fruit, that would be the least (and last) of your problems. If anyone has DEFINITE and RELIABLE evidence that Solanum nigrum has edible berries, I should be interested to hear. Not evidence, but a reference: George Usher 'A dictionary of plants used by Man' "The fruits (woderberries) are eaten in pies etc. The shoots and leaves are used as a vegetable" Blimey! -- Kay Easton Edward's earthworm page: http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/garden/ |
#8
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What is plant with miniature potatoe flowers/berries
In article ,
Kay Easton wrote: If anyone has DEFINITE and RELIABLE evidence that Solanum nigrum has edible berries, I should be interested to hear. Not evidence, but a reference: George Usher 'A dictionary of plants used by Man' "The fruits (woderberries) are eaten in pies etc. The shoots and leaves are used as a vegetable" Blimey! It sounds odd, for a Solanum, but could be true. However, I suspect that there is more than one plant called black nightshade, and that not all such will be edible. Regards, Nick Maclaren, University of Cambridge Computing Service, New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England. Email: Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679 |
#9
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What is plant with miniature potatoe flowers/berries
A quick Web search indicates that the situation may be that the ripe berries are edible if cooked, but that the unripe or raw berries are poisonous. And I saw a reiteration of the use as a vegetable, but I also saw other statements that all parts are poisonous. Frankly, I don't trust any of it. Some of it HAS to be wrong, and I have no idea which sources are just copying from each other. My guess is that the New Zealand claims of edibility are correct, but I am less certain that they refer to S. nigrum, or that the Maoris really did eat the shoots and leaves. And a lot of the claims of universal toxicity are in documents that look like typical UK/USA hysteria - and, yes, our supposed 'experts' are among the worst perpetrators of THAT (and I don't JUST mean RoSPA!) I keep meaning to try fat hen seeds and acorns, have made mallow soup, have tried blackberry shoots to see whether a remark in a novel was correct (it wasn't) and so on, but the Solanaceae make me nervous. I know that several other posters hold similar views :-) Regards, Nick Maclaren, University of Cambridge Computing Service, New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England. Email: Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679 |
#10
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What is plant with miniature potatoe flowers/berries
In article , Nick Maclaren
writes If anyone has DEFINITE and RELIABLE evidence that Solanum nigrum has edible berries, I should be interested to hear. John Akeroyd, writing in his Encyclopedia of Wild Flowers, says of Black Nightshade - Solanum nigrum: "NOTE THAT THE berries, ripening from green to black in late summer to early autumn, are poisonous, like those of its cultivated relative, the potato, with which it often grows. The leaves, too, contain variable amounts of poisonous substances, but in Southern Europe they can be seen being sold, cooked and eaten as a green vegetable similar to spinach. Other annual nightshades, mostly introduced from South America and all poisonous, with black, red or green berries, turn up from time to time as weeds of cultivated or waste ground. The most widespread of them is Leafy-fruited Nightshade (Solanum sarrachoides) which has green or black berries partially covered by a swollen, persistent calyx." J.A. also states that the black berries of Woody Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) are poisonous, as are the black berries of Deadly Nightshade (Atropa belladonna), though they have a long history of medicinal use. The moral is don't eat wild or cultivated red or black berries unless their edibility has been ascertained. -- Alan & Joan Gould, North Lincs. |
#11
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What is plant with miniature potatoe flowers/berries
On Sun, 3 Nov 2002 20:19:02 +0000, Alan Gould
wrote: In article , Nick Maclaren writes If anyone has DEFINITE and RELIABLE evidence that Solanum nigrum has edible berries, I should be interested to hear. John Akeroyd, writing in his Encyclopedia of Wild Flowers, says of Black Nightshade - Solanum nigrum: And further from the PFAF database: for Solanum nigra: Edible Uses: Fruit - cooked[2, 27, 89, 179]. Used in preserves, jams and pies[183]. A pleasant musky taste[85]. Somewhat like a tomato, but much less pleasant, it improves slightly after a frost[K]. Only the fully ripe fruits should be used, the unripe fruits contain the toxin solanine[65, 173, 183]. The fruit contains about 2.5% protein, 0.6% fat, 5.6% carbohydrate, 1.2% ash[179]. The fruit is about 9mm in diameter[200]. Young leaves and new shoots - raw or cooked as a potherb or added to soups[2, 27, 85, 89, 173, 179, 183]. This plant is cultivated as a leaf crop in some areas, but see the notes at the top of the page regarding possible toxicity. Medicinal: The whole plant is antiperiodic, antiphlogistic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emollient, febrifuge, narcotic, purgative and sedative[4, 21, 145, 147, 192, 218]. It is harvested in the autumn when both flowers and fruit are upon the plant, and is dried for later use[4]. Use with caution[21], see notes above on toxicity. The leaves, stems and roots are used externally as a poultice, wash etc in the treatment of cancerous sores, boils, leucoderma and wounds[218, 257]. Extracts of the plant are analgesic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and vasodilator[218]. The plant has been used in the manufacture of locally analgesic ointments and the juice of the fruit has been used as an analgesic for toothaches[7]. Known hazards: There is a lot of disagreement over whether or not the leaves or fruit of this plant are poisonous. Views vary from relatively poisonous to perfectly safe to eat. The plant is cultivated as a food crop, both for its fruit and its leaves, in some parts of the world and it is probably true to say that toxicity can vary considerably according to where the plant is grown and the cultivar that is being grown[4, 7, 10, 13, 65, 76]. The unripe fruit contains the highest concentration of toxins[65]. Other Uses: This species has been found to be effective in removing PCB's from the soil and detoxifying them[248]. The plant is more effective in doing this if it is infected with the bacterial parasite Agrobacterium tumefaciens[248]. PS All those numbers in square brackets are references to published journals etc. I won't eat anything until I know what it is. Having said that there are loads of plants which you would never suspect of being edible. Edible being the operative word rather than palatable. Something which can be prepared as spinach and comes up a very slimey mess is not a big plus nor. come to think of it are hairy leaves. Ah and then there's the taste muses the one with not much room and a Crataegus tanacetifolia being delivered shortly. They are supposed to have a flavour reminiscent of apples and ahem relatively spineless to boot. Happy times Hussein "For of all gainful professions, nothing is better, nothing more pleasing, nothing more delightful, nothing better becomes a well-bred man than agriculture" $$$$$$ Cicero $$$$$$ |
#12
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What is plant with miniature potatoe flowers/berries
In article ,
(Kay Easton) wrote: Solanum nigrum http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/p...Solanum+nigrum "There is a lot of disagreement over whether or not the leaves or fruit of this plant are poisonous. Views vary from relatively poisonous to perfectly safe to eat. The plant is cultivated as a food crop, both for its fruit and its leaves, in some parts of the world and it is probably true to say that toxicity can vary considerably according to where the plant is grown and the cultivar that is being grown[4, 7, 10, 13, 65, 76]. The unripe fruit contains the highest concentration of toxins[65]." Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com |
#13
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What is plant with miniature potatoe flowers/berries
In article , Alan Gould
writes In article , Nick Maclaren writes If anyone has DEFINITE and RELIABLE evidence that Solanum nigrum has edible berries, I should be interested to hear. John Akeroyd, writing in his Encyclopedia of Wild Flowers, says of Black Nightshade - Solanum nigrum: J.A. also states that the black berries of Woody Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) are poisonous, But Solanum dulcamara doesn't have black berries! - it has red ones. as are the black berries of Deadly Nightshade (Atropa belladonna), though they have a long history of medicinal use. The moral is don't eat wild or cultivated red or black berries unless their edibility has been ascertained. -- Kay Easton Edward's earthworm page: http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/garden/ |
#14
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What is plant with miniature potatoe flowers/berries
In article , Kay Easton
writes J.A. also states that the black berries of Woody Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) are poisonous, But Solanum dulcamara doesn't have black berries! - it has red ones. In pedantic fact, neither red nor black, but scarlet. To give the full quote:- Fruits: A loose cluster of egg-shaped, scarlet, shiny, translucent berries c.10mm (2/3 in.) long. And ....as with other nightshades the most attractive berries are poisonous. Be warned! -- Alan Gould |
#15
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What is plant with miniature potatoe flowers/berries
In article ,
Alan Gould wrote: In article , Kay Easton writes J.A. also states that the black berries of Woody Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) are poisonous, But Solanum dulcamara doesn't have black berries! - it has red ones. In pedantic fact, neither red nor black, but scarlet. To give the full quote:- Fruits: A loose cluster of egg-shaped, scarlet, shiny, translucent berries c.10mm (2/3 in.) long. And ....as with other nightshades the most attractive berries are poisonous. Be warned! Er, scarlet IS red! It may be a particular red, but it is assuredly a red. So Kay Easton's statement was perfectly correct, and I am afraid your musket of pedantry has just discharged itself into your foot. Regards, Nick Maclaren, University of Cambridge Computing Service, New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England. Email: Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679 |
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