Jerusalem cherry
Encyclopedia
Solanum pseudocapsicum is a nightshade
species with 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 Australia
the plant has become a weed
.
The plant is perennial in zones up to USDA 8. Native to Peru
and Ecuador
, they can survive frosts and cold weather. They generally live up to 10 years, producing fruit usually in their second or third year, and every year after that. They are congener
s of tomato
es and the fruit is extremely similar to cherry tomato
es in taste and texture, and are therefore easily confused with them.
The Jerusalem Cherry's poison is primarily solanocapsine
, which is similar to other alkaloids found in their genus, such as solanine
and atropine
. Although the toxin is poisonous, it is generally not life-threatening. It may cause gastric problems, including vomiting and gastroenteritis
as referenced in the obsolete scientific name S. ipecacuanha (roughly "ipecac
nightshade").
Jerusalem cherries are also highly poisonous to dogs, cats, and some birds. Though Jerusalem Cherry is distributed by certain birds in the wild – both where native and where introduced, e.g. in Australia by the Pied Currawong
(Strepera graculina) –, most popular pet birds, namely parrot
s and relatives, are not immune to its poison.
source has in recent times distinguished between the two. Indeed, these taxa are now generally held to refer to the same species
, and the "False Jerusalem Cherry", if it is at all distinguishable, seems to be a chemotype
at best, or just a motley collection of cultivar
s.
The entire list of now-invalid synonyms of S. pseudocapsicum is long, and a lot of homonym
s are included within it:
As can be seen by the "False Jerusalem Cherry" case, several presumed form
s, subspecies
and varieties have been described of S. pseudocapsicum. But these are generally also not considered to be taxonomically distinct today:
Solanum
Solanum, the nightshades, horsenettles and relatives, is a large and diverse genus of annual and perennial plants. They grow as forbs, vines, subshrubs, shrubs, and small trees, and often have attractive fruit and flowers. Many formerly independent genera like Lycopersicon or Cyphomandra are...
species with poisonous fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
. It is commonly known as the Jerusalem Cherry, Madeira Winter Cherry, or, ambiguously, "winter cherry
Winter cherry
Winter cherry may refer to following plants, which are all Solanaceae, unrelated to actual cherries , and do not have edible fruit :* Physalis alkekengi * other species of Physalis...
". These perennials
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
can be grown decoratively as house plants, but in some areas of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
the plant has become a weed
Weed
A weed in a general sense is a plant that is considered by the user of the term to be a nuisance, and normally applied to unwanted plants in human-controlled settings, especially farm fields and gardens, but also lawns, parks, woods, and other areas. More specifically, the term is often used to...
.
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, they can survive frosts and cold weather. They generally live up to 10 years, producing fruit usually in their second or third year, and every year after that. They are congener
Congener
Congener has several different meanings depending on the field in which it is used. Colloquially, it is used to mean a person or thing like another, in character or action.-Biology:In biology, congeners are organisms within the same genus...
s of tomato
Tomato
The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
es and the fruit is extremely similar to cherry tomato
Cherry tomato
A cherry tomato is a small variety of tomato that has been cultivated since at least the early 1800s and thought to have originated in Peru and Northern Chile. Cherry tomatoes range in size from a thumbtip up to the size of a golf ball, and can range from being spherical to slightly oblong in shape...
es in taste and texture, and are therefore easily confused with them.
The Jerusalem Cherry's poison is primarily solanocapsine
Solanocapsine
Solanocapsine is a toxic steroidal alkaloid from Solanum pseudocapsicum ....
, which is similar to other alkaloids found in their genus, such as solanine
Solanine
Solanine is a glycoalkaloid poison found in species of the nightshade family , such as the potato . It can occur naturally in any part of the plant, including the leaves, fruit, and tubers. Solanine has fungicidal and pesticidal properties, and it is one of the plant's natural defenses...
and atropine
Atropine
Atropine is a naturally occurring tropane alkaloid extracted from deadly nightshade , Jimson weed , mandrake and other plants of the family Solanaceae. It is a secondary metabolite of these plants and serves as a drug with a wide variety of effects...
. Although the toxin is poisonous, it is generally not life-threatening. It may cause gastric problems, including vomiting and gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is marked by severe inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract involving both the stomach and small intestine resulting in acute diarrhea and vomiting. It can be transferred by contact with contaminated food and water...
as referenced in the obsolete scientific name S. ipecacuanha (roughly "ipecac
Syrup of ipecac
Syrup of ipecac , commonly referred to as ipecac, is derived from the dried rhizome and roots of the ipecacuanha plant, and is a well known emetic .-Preparation:...
nightshade").
Jerusalem cherries are also highly poisonous to dogs, cats, and some birds. Though Jerusalem Cherry is distributed by certain birds in the wild – both where native and where introduced, e.g. in Australia by the Pied Currawong
Pied Currawong
The Pied Currawong is a medium-sized black passerine bird native to eastern Australia and Lord Howe Island. One of three currawong species in the genus Strepera, it is closely related to the butcherbirds and Australian Magpie of the family Artamidae. Six subspecies are recognised...
(Strepera graculina) –, most popular pet birds, namely parrot
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
s and relatives, are not immune to its poison.
Taxonomy
Supposedly, the plant described as Solanum capsicastrum and called False Jerusalem Cherry is closely related but distinct species, and the trade name "Winter Cherry" is also held to apply to this exclusively. It is said to be recognizable by more mediocre size, and/or a greyish hue to the foliage and/or stems, and/or fruit that have a pronounced yellow hue when unripe and whose pulp is not or less poisonous (though the seeds still are, making the whole fruit still inedible), and/or higher frost hardiness. But these supposed differences are inconsistently given in various horticultural sources, and no botanicalBotany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
source has in recent times distinguished between the two. Indeed, these taxa are now generally held to refer to the same species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, and the "False Jerusalem Cherry", if it is at all distinguishable, seems to be a chemotype
Chemotype
Introduced by Pierre Franchomme in 1975 and formalized in the European Union in 2006 with the adoption of the regulation REACH, a chemotype is a chemically distinct entity in a plant or microorganism, with differences in the composition of the secondary metabolites...
at best, or just a motley collection of cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
s.
The entire list of now-invalid synonyms of S. pseudocapsicum is long, and a lot of homonym
Homonym
In linguistics, a homonym is, in the strict sense, one of a group of words that often but not necessarily share the same spelling and the same pronunciation but have different meanings...
s are included within it:
As can be seen by the "False Jerusalem Cherry" case, several presumed form
Form (botany)
In botanical nomenclature, a form is one of the "secondary" taxonomic ranks, below that of variety, which in turn is below that of species; it is an infraspecific taxon...
s, subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
and varieties have been described of S. pseudocapsicum. But these are generally also not considered to be taxonomically distinct today:
- Solanum pseudocapsicum var. ambiguum Hassl.
- Solanum pseudocapsicum f. calvescens (Chodat) Hassl.
- Solanum pseudocapsicum var. diflorum (Vell.) Bitter
- Solanum pseudocapsicum ssp. diflorum (Vell.) Hassl.
- Solanum pseudocapsicum var. hygrophilum (Schltdl.) Hassl.
- Solanum pseudocapsicum var. lancifolium Moench
- Solanum pseudocapsicum f. microcarpum (Vahl) Hassl.
- Solanum pseudocapsicum var. microcarpum Pers.
- Solanum pseudocapsicum var. normale Kuntze
- Solanum pseudocapsicum f. pilosulum Hassl.
- Solanum pseudocapsicum f.? pilosum Kuntze
- Solanum pseudocapsicum f. pilulosum Hassl.
- Solanum pseudocapsicum var. parvifolium Kuntze
- Not to be confused with S. parvifolium.
- Solanum pseudocapsicum var. sendtnerianum Hassl.
- Not to be confused with S. sendtnerianum.
- Solanum pseudocapsicum var. typicum Hassl.